Slamming the Modi government on the issues of fuel price hike, inflation, economy and agriculture laws, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, has alleged that the centre has earned Rs 25 lakh crore from fuel taxes and he will ask it to address the issues when the parliament session commences on July 19.

Kharge said Narendra Modi came to power and asked people to give him only five years to bring about a change, but has made life difficult for the people of the country in just seven years. Prices of petrol, diesel, LPG cylinders and edible oil have gone beyond the reach of the common man and the amount collected as fuel taxes is not being used for the benefit of the people of the country or for the state government.

“Since Modi came to power, petrol and diesel prices have increased 326 times. In last two months they have increased 38 times. I will ask the Modi government to address the issue of fuel price hike and inflation in the Parliament session starting from 19th” he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai on Monday.

“Under the UPA government the central tax on fuel had increased 9.48% to Rs 32.90 per litre. During the UPA government the price of crude oil was $ 111 per barrel while petrol was Rs 71 per litre. The Modi government has made a profit of Rs 25 lakh crore in the last seven years. The price of an LPG cylinder is now Rs 834 and the subsidy on gas to the common man has been reduced to zero for the last several months. Modi had said that if the grant amount was credited directly to the beneficiary's account (DBT) it would save Rs 15,000 crore every year which means that the scheme has saved about Rs 1 lakh crore so far. The Modi government does not spend all this money to provide relief to the common man and does not give it to the state governments. The revenue generated through cess belongs to the Centre from which the state governments do not get a single penny,” said Kharge.

He also said that pulses have become dearer by 12.72% year-on-year, sunflower oil by 56.31% and soybean oil by 52.66%. “During the Manmohan Singh government 27.1 crore people were brought above the poverty line, but last year 23 crore people were pushed below the poverty line. Due to wrong policies of Modi government income of 97% families has decreased. Everything the UPA government has earned in 10 years has been spent by the Modi government in just one year.”

The senior Congress leader said corporate tax breaks are being given frequently leaving the burden of inflation. Modi government is a government of 'Hum Do Humare Do'. He said the death toll from the corona is estimated at 275,000 and 1.33 lakh jobs in the last one year. Per capita income has fallen by Rs 10,000 and GDP fell by 9-10 per cent.

“The Modi government does not pay GST refund to states and Maharashtra has not yet been paid GST refund of Rs 32,000 crore. The Modi government promised to increase the income of farmers but has brought farmers to the streets.  GST is also being levied on agricultural inputs also. Farmers have been protesting for seven months at the Delhi border demanding repeal of three agricultural laws but the Modi government is not ready to repeal the laws. Kharge also said that Modi, who has set out to become a world guru, should first become the guru of the country and then see the world guru,” said Kharge.