The Congress in Punjab is all set to join a nationwide protest to be launched by its party president Rahul Gandhi on 31 May against the hike in prices of petrol and diesel.

Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Monday announced that party would come out on the roads as part of the nationwide protest on this day.

Addressing a press conference on Monday in Chandigarh, Jakhar claimed the central government was earning Rs 10 to 12 Lakh Crore annually by not passing on the benefit of decreasing global petroleum prices. He challenged the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to explain where the money thus saved by his government was going.

Jakhar, recalled the Bharat Bandh and Jail Bharo protests organised by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) across the nation on 31 May, 2012, against the petrol and diesel price hike.

He pointed out that top BJP leaders including now Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, and Ravi Shankar Prasad had raised a lot of hue and cry over the issue then.

Increase in price of diesel and petrol was adversely affecting everyone – from the farmers to the industry, students, teachers and the common man, as prices of essential commodities were spiraling out of control, claimed Jakhar.

Citing the prices of petrol and diesel during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule, Jakhar said that on 31 May, 2012, the international price of crude oil was 104.09 dollar per barrel while diesel and petrol in India was being sold at Rs 40.91and Rs 73.18 per litre respectively.

On May 25, 2018, the rate of crude oil had fallen sharply to 67.50 dollar per barrel but diesel and petrol were being sold at Rs 69.09 and Rs 78.12 which clearly showed that despite the fall in crude oil prices, central government had increased the price exorbitantly, said the Punjab Congress chief, who is also the parliamentarian from Gurdaspur.

He pointed out that central excise duty has been increased from 22 to 42 percent while the state revenue share had decreased by 10 percent.

Accusing the previous Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP regime for fiscal mismanagement in the state, Jakhar said centre should assist the state in tiding over the crisis on the principle of cooperative federalism.

Punjab Congress chief also warned the central government against making any announcement without taking into account the increase in petroleum prices. Farmers must be supported by providing them a bonus of more than Rs 100 per quintal, said Jakhar.