Congress flags price rise of essential commodities; demands CBI probe into profiteering by private oil companies

New Delhi: Congress has expressed grave concern over the rising prices of essential commodities, including petrol and diesel.

The party also demanded a probe by the Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Bureau of Investigation, and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India into the massive profiteering by the private oil companies.

All India Mahila Congress President and senior Congress leader Alka Lamba demanded a special session of Parliament to discuss the back-breaking high prices. She also demanded that the government must bring in a ‘White Paper’ on rising prices.

Oil companies made R 7 lakh crore in profit.

Lamba specially mentioned the huge profits being made by the public and private sector oil companies to the tune of Rs seven lakh crore during the last five years.

She pointed out how the BJP, during the Congress government till 2014, would raise so much hue and cry over the rising prices. She drew comparisons of the prices under the Congress rule and the BJP rule, pointing out to what extent the BJP was allowing the profiteering by various oil companies.

Crude oil prices down by 40 percent

The Mahila Congress leader said that despite the crude prices in the international market having come down by about 40 per cent since 2014, the prices of petrol and diesel, which should also decrease proportionately, have instead increased substantially.

She disclosed that while the crude prices in 2014 were $108 per barrel, in 2025 these have decreased substantially and have come down to $65.31 per barrel, a drop of about 40 per cent.

Petrol and diesel prices

Instead of passing on the benefit to the common people, she said, the Modi government was allowing the oil companies to make huge profits of about Rs 15 per litre of petrol and diesel. She said, in 2014, despite high crude prices, the rate of petrol never went beyond Rs 72 per litre, whereas now it has already crossed Rs 100 per litre. Similarly, she added, the diesel was priced at Rs 55 per litre, while now it is between Rs 88 and Rs 89 per litre.

Comparing the excise duty on petrol and diesel under Congress and the BJP regimes, she said, in 2014 the excise duty on petrol was Rs 9.20 per litre, while now it is Rs 19.90 per litre. Similarly, while the excise duty on diesel in 2014 was Rs 3.46, now it is Rs 15.80 per litre. She said that petrol and diesel should be brought under the ambit of GST, adding that this would pave the way for control over the prices.

LPG cylinder price

Lamba also referred to more than double the price of the domestic LPG cylinder, which has gone from Rs 414 in 2014 to over Rs 1,100 per cylinder now.

She demanded an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and an inquiry by the Chief Vigilance Commission and the CBI into the massive profiteering by the oil companies. She sought to know if these companies were sharing the profits with the BJP and filling the party’s coffers.

She also demanded an immediate reduction in the prices of the domestic LPG cylinders, besides strict control on the prices of essential commodities.