Kharge accuses Center of “looting” public as fuel prices remain high despite drop in global oil rate

While oil prices have fallen, the government has continued to “tighten the reins” on household savings instead of reducing fuel prices, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said. File | Photo credit: The Hindu

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday (Jun 27, 2026) accused the Narendra Modi government of refusing to pass on the benefit of falling global oil prices to consumers, alleging that the Center was treating the public as a source of tax revenue rather than providing relief.

In a post on X, Mr Kharge said international oil prices had fallen to pre-war levels in West Asia, but petrol, diesel and LPG prices remained high.

Describing it as the BJP’s “habit of looting and pickpocketing”, he claimed that while oil prices have fallen, the government has continued to “tighten the reins” on household savings instead of reducing fuel prices.

Questioning a series of questions at the Centre, Mr Kharge said that when the conflict in West Asia pushed oil prices to about $138 per barrel, petrol was selling at a retail price of ₹94.77 per liter and diesel at ₹87.67 per litre.

With crude now down to around $70.71 per barrel, petrol was still selling at ₹102.12 per liter and diesel at ₹95.20 per litre, he said.

He also questioned why commercial LPG prices, which were sharply increased due to supply disruption during the conflict, were not withdrawn despite the normalization of supply.

“Why isn’t the public getting a dime of relief?” he asked, claiming that prices of domestic LPG cylinders, five-kilogram cylinders used by migrant workers and CNG also remained elevated.

“When oil was expensive, the public suffered. Now that oil is cheap, why is the public still bearing the burden?” asked Mr. Kharge. “It is clear that the public has only become a vehicle for the BJP government to collect taxes and increase its collections.”

The Congress has repeatedly accused the Center of failing to bring down fuel prices despite a fall in global oil prices, saying higher indirect taxes have put an undue burden on consumers.

Published – 27 Jun 2026 21:07 IST