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New Delhi: Opposition parties lashed out at the government on Friday (May 15) after a Rs 3 per litre hike each in petrol and diesel prices, calling it a “Modi government-made crisis” and a fallout of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mistake, for which the public will be paying the price. The parties accused the government of raising fuel prices soon after assembly elections ended, and questioned why lower global crude prices prior to the West Asia conflict were not passed on to the consumer.

The fuel price hike comes amid mounting losses of state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) due to surging global crude prices amid the West Asia crisis. While Prime Minister Modi had last week called for austerity measures from citizens due to the conflict, The Wire has reported that Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri earlier this week said there is no fuel supply shortage in the country, without ruling out a price hike. Puri had referred to fuel prices not being hiked in four years, and said that while the move is unrelated to elections, oil companies are losing Rs 1,000 crore everyday.

“The Modi government’s mistake, The public will pay the price,” wrote Leader of Opposition in the Lok........

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