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Informist, Wednesday, May 20, 2026

 

NEW DELHI – The Indian National Congress Wednesday slammed the Narendra Modi government for allegedly using the West Asia conflict as an excuse to hide its own failures to secure India's energy interests at a time when power dynamics are shifting from a unipolar world order to a multipolar one. The opposition party's attack came after another hike in fuel prices.

 

The government-owned Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. Wednesday hiked retail prices of petrol and diesel by around 90 paise per litre each, the second hike in retail fuel prices within a week. On Friday, the company had increased petrol and diesel prices by INR 3 each.

 

"Today you (government) cite 'global crisis' to justify hikes in petrol, diesel, and gas prices. But for most of your tenure since 2014, the crude oil price averaged around $50-$55 a barrel," party spokesperson Pawan Khera said. "Did you pass on even a little benefit to the common people then? No, you didn't. The petrol was still selling at around INR 100 a litre."

 

Khera pointed out that there has been a 121% hike in the price of domestic liquefied petroleum gas cylinder, a 38% hike in petrol prices, and a 62% raise in diesel prices since 2014. "Was the Strait of Hormuz blocked even then?" he asked.  

 

He said the Congress government led by then prime minister Manmohan Singh had deftly steered India's economy during the 2008 economic meltdown, and insulated consumers when crude oil was being sold well above $100 a barrel. "This is perhaps the first crisis the Modi government is seeing, and yet they are incapable of handling it," Khera said.

 

He claimed that foreign investors are pulling out from the Indian market in significant measures because their confidence is shaken.

 

The Congress spokesperson questioned the prime minister's wisdom in visiting Israel just before it attacked Iran, and agreeing to a "weird" trade deal with the US that will potentially turn India's trade surplus to trade deficit of around $9 billion. In FY26 (Apr-Mar), India had a trade surplus of $34.41 billion with the US. "If you turn the country's foreign policy into an individual-centric policy, the consequences are here for all to see," he said.

 

He also criticised prime minister's foreign travels in a huge aircraft as well as mega roadshows right after telling the common people to save fuel and avoid gold purchase and foreign travels to save foreign exchange.

 

Touching upon Prime Minister Modi persistently avoiding open media questions, Khera said, "A lie is most afraid of a mirror. In a democracy, the political opposition and media are the mirror. Modi is afraid of this mirror.

 

"If you are afraid of the mirror, something is missing in your truth," he said.  End

 

US$1 = INR 96.83

 

Reported by Asim Khan

Edited by Avishek Dutta

 

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