Political News: Digvijaya Singh demands Centre to reduce excise duty on fuel prices to 2014 level

Senior Congress leader DigvijayaSingh on Friday demanded that the Central government should further cut the excise duty on fuel to what it was during the Congress regime in 2014, adding that the move will bring the prices further down by Rs 18.

He further took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he would reduce the fuel prices to what it was back in 2014 after losing elections in Uttar Pradesh.

“If Modi ji really wants to give relief to the people by reducing the prices of petrol and diesel, then he should reduce the Central Excise Duty as it was during the Congress regime in 2014. Petrol Rs 18 and diesel Rs 18 per litre will be further reduced. Maybe if he loses the elections in UP, then Modi ji will reduce the rate as it was in 2014,” Singh said in a tweet.

In a relief to consumers, the Finance Ministry on Wednesday announced a Rs 5 per litre cut in excise duty on petrol and a Rs 10 per litre cut in excise duty on diesel.

Amid record-high fuel prices, this is the first cut in central excise duties in over three years.