The government should not resort to profiteering at a time when the country is battling the COVID-19 pandemic, the Congress said on Monday. It asked the Centre to resort to profit-sharing with the citizens.
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In an online media interaction, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi accused the government making a profit of “₹20 lakh crore” since 2014 through Central taxes and levies on petroleum products.
The need of the hour and immediate necessity is to share a part of this profit made by the government, Mr. Singhvi said.
“It is not a time for profiteering. It is a time for the government to do profit sharing, and do some sharing and caring. This is the need of the hour and the immediate necessity,” he said at a press conference addressed through video conferencing.
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‘Reduce taxes’
The Congress spokesperson said it was time to reduce taxes or give it back in some other form to the farmers, labourers and common people suffering amid lockdown due to COVID-19 and due to the country’s economic downturn. He recalled that in March 2014, international crude price was hovering around $108 per barrel and six years later, it was now a historic low of $23 per barrel.
“Going by international market prices, petrol can be sold at ₹28 while the price for diesel is ₹32, Mr. Singhvi said.
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He alleged that the Centre had made a profit of around ₹20 lakh crore in the past six years.
“The BJP needs to realise that it has to stop solo profiteering; instead of stealing touch, it has to give a healing touch,” he said.
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“We want to draw your attention to GDP — Gas, Diesel and Petrol — during 21-day lockdown and how they should be harnessed to deal with the lockdown,” the Congress spokesperson added.
