Opposition slams new fuel price hike, Kharge asks ‘who benefits’, Rahul calls Modi ‘inflation man’

A motorist at a petrol station in Delhi on May 25, 2026, as state-owned oil companies hiked petrol prices in Delhi by ₹2.61 per litre, taking the retail rate to ₹102.12 per litre. This is the fourth fuel price hike in less than two weeks, pushing petrol above the ₹100 mark for the first time in four years. | Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

As petrol and diesel prices were hiked by ₹2.61-2.71 per liter on Monday (May 25, 2026), the fourth hike in less than two weeks, opposition leaders stepped up their attack on the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of burdening consumers and failing to protect the public from rising costs.

While Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described the increase as a “daily robbery”, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “mehangai manav” (inflation man).

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President Arvind Kejriwal has questioned why India is not procuring cheaper oil from Russia and Iran.

The latest hike brought the cumulative increase in petrol and diesel prices since May 15 to nearly ₹7.5 per litre, pushing fuel prices to their highest level since May 2022 and raising concerns about inflation and transport costs.

In a post on X, Mr Kharge said the “daily attack on fuel loot” was continuing, noting it was the fourth hike in ten days. “The Modi government has sprinkled petrol to burn the savings of common people,” the Congress leader said.

The Daily Assault of FUEL LOOT isn’t over yet!

4th hike in 10 days!!

Petrol – ₹7.35/litre
Diesel – ₹7.53/litre

Modi Govt has sprinkled petrol to burn savings of common people.

⛽️Between 2004 and 2014 during the UPA, international oil prices rose by… pic.twitter.com/4rP8BfasNj

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 25, 2026

Mr. Kharge claimed that despite the fact that international oil prices have not seen an increase comparable to the increase seen during the UPA years, retail fuel prices have risen sharply under the current government. It claimed that petrol prices have increased from ₹71.41 per liter in 2014 to ₹102.12 in 2026, while diesel prices have increased from ₹56.71 to ₹95.20 in the same period.

“profit over people”

The Congress president also linked Monday’s (May 25) hike to gains in shares of public sector oil companies, saying the government was putting “profit before people”.

“Every increase in fuel prices is another blow to household budgets,” he said, adding that farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises are among the worst affected. “We repeat. Who benefits from this daily robbery?” asked Mr. Kharge.

‘Mehangi manav’

Mr Gandhi also hit out at the Prime Minister, alleging that fuel prices were increased in “installments”. “‘Mehangai manav’ Modi strikes again. Increases petrol and diesel prices on installments – ensures your pockets are quietly picked, bit by bit,” he said in a post on X.

Gandhi claimed he had warned of an impending economic storm, but the government delayed the hike because of the election. “‘Mehangai manav’ Modi has only one job: make promises during elections and attack people’s pockets at other times,” he said.

Mr Kejriwal said rising inflation was imposing hardship on “140 crore people” and asked what compulsions were preventing the government from buying cheaper fuel. “Russia and Iran offer us cheaper and sufficient oil and gas. Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi not buying cheap oil from them?” he asked in a video message to X.

Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak broadened the criticism beyond fuel prices and raised fears of disruption to oil supplies and the economy. She asked what the government had done to bring back the ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

Published – 25 May 2026 17:12 IST