"Assault on household budgets...": Opposition Slams Center Over Hike in LPG & Fuel Prices

Opposition leaders launched a strong critique of the BJP-led Union government on Monday following the increases in cooking gas prices and the excise duty on petrol and diesel. They argued that these hikes would place an additional financial burden on the public and labelled the government's actions as part of its “anti-people policies.”

The Union government raised the excise duty on both petrol and diesel by ₹2 per litre, which increased the central taxes on petrol to ₹21.9 per litre and on diesel to ₹17.8 per litre. Along with this, the price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder was hiked by ₹50, affecting both general consumers and beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme, starting from 8 April 2025.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, was quick to criticise the Centre for the LPG price rise. On social media platform X, she wrote: "The idea of ‘Vikas’ for the BJP government at the Centre seems to be squeezing every last penny from the pockets of ordinary Indians. From essential medicines to petrol, diesel, and cooking gas, every necessity is slowly becoming a luxury." Banerjee continued, “While families struggle with shrinking savings and mounting debt, this regime continues its assault on household budgets. BJP isn’t running a government at the Centre, it’s taking money from people’s pockets.”

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, joined the chorus in taking a dig at the Union government and said, “Finally, Modi ji gave a befitting reply to tariffs! Tax on petrol-diesel and gas cylinder prices were increased further. People suffering from inflation were given another gift of government loot!”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also took to X, and said, “Wah, Modi ji, wah! International crude oil prices have fallen by 41 per cent compared to May 2014 but your plundering government, instead of reducing the prices of petrol and diesel, has increased the central excise duty by ₹2 each.” He added in another post, "This time, the whip of inflation also fell on the savings of the poor women of 'Ujjwala'. Looting, extortion, fraud… all have become synonymous with the Modi government.”

Supriya Sule, Nationalist Congress Party MP, raised questions about the government's reasoning for the price hikes. “The govt had blamed global crude oil hikes for skyrocketing fuel prices. The public accepted this & bore the burden. But now, with crude prices crashing globally, why are petrol, diesel & LPG still unaffordable? Instead of relief, prices are being hiked again. What’s the new excuse? The citizens demand answers—not silence," said Sule. 

Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad called the hikes “a burden on the people of this country amid inflation and difficulties,” particularly affecting women. He demanded that the central government reverse the decision, taking into account the rising cost of living.

Union Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri defended the price hike, attributing it to the rising costs faced by public sector oil marketing companies. He explained that the average Saudi CP (international LPG benchmark) had surged by 63 per cent to USD 629 per tonne in February 2025, compared to USD 385 in July 2023. This price increase, he stated, was necessary to cover mounting losses faced by the companies.

Puri also revealed that public sector oil companies incurred losses of ₹41,338 crore in FY 2024-25 due to selling LPG at below-cost prices, which necessitated the recent hike. Under the new prices, Ujjwala beneficiaries will now pay ₹553 per cylinder, while general users will be charged ₹853. Despite the excise duty increase, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas clarified that retail petrol and diesel prices would remain unaffected.