Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and the party's General secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday hit out at the Centre for raising the excise duty on petrol and diesel.
"The fight against coronavirus is becoming a cause for serious economic problem for crores of our brothers and sisters. Instead of decreasing the prices, at this time, the decision of the government to increase the tax on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 and Rs 13 per litre is improper and it should be taken back," Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.
While his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in her tweet in Hindi said, "People should get the benefits of the massive reduction in the prices of crude oil. But the BJP government by increasing the excise duty, again and again, is putting the benefits that should have gone to people in its own suitcase."
"People are not benefiting and the money which is collected is not being used for workers, farmers, middle class and industries. For whom is the government accumulating money?" she questioned in her tweet.
The Central government on Tuesday announced an increase in excise duties by Rs 10 per litre on petrol and Rs 13 per litre on diesel.
"While the retail sale prices of petrol and diesel will not change on account of this increase in duties, there will be an increase in excise duties by Rs 10 per litre on petrol and Rs 13 per litre on diesel," read an official statement.
"The revenue generated from these duties shall be used for infrastructure and other developmental items of expenditure," it added.
( With inputs from ANI )