Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

The Congress on Wednesday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to the opposition-ruled states to reduce VAT on petroleum products, saying instead of "jumla and distracting" the Prime Minister, the rate of excise duty on petrol and diesel has been reduced to that level. But it should be brought to the level at which it was during the tenure of the previous UPA government.

Party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala urged the Prime Minister that the central government should cut the excise duty on petrol by Rs 18.42 per liter and on diesel by Rs 18.24 per liter.

He tweeted, 'Modi ji, no criticism, no distraction, no jumla.

In the Congress government, the excise duty on petrol was Rs 9.48 per liter and that on diesel was Rs 3.56 per liter.

Excise duty on petrol is Rs 27.90 per liter under Modi government and Rs 21.80 per liter on diesel.

'Injustice': PM Modi targets opposition-ruled states over rising oil prices

"Please reduce the excise duty on petrol by Rs 18.42 per liter and on diesel by Rs 18.24 per liter," the Congress leader urged.

Modi ji,

No criticism,

No distractions,

No Jumlas!

Excise Duty during -

Congress Govt👇

Petrol - ₹9.48/litre

Diesel - ₹3.56/litre

Modi Govt

Petrol - ₹27.90/litre

Diesel - ₹21.80/litre

Pl Roll Back the Excise Hike of ₹18.42 in Petrol & ₹18.24 per liter in Diesel.

1/n https://t.co/E0ctaIZCS2

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) April 27, 2022

Surjewala said that the central government should give an account of Rs 27 lakh crore collected by way of excise duty on petrol and diesel in the last eight years.

According to him, on May 26, 2014, when Prime Minister Modi took office, the price of crude oil was $108 per barrel, but at that time the price of petrol in Delhi was Rs 71.41 per liter and the price of diesel was Rs 55.49 per liter.

"Hate-in-India and Make-in-India cannot live together": Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi on unemployment issue

"Today the price of crude oil is Rs 100.20 per liter, but in Delhi the price of petrol is Rs 105.41 per liter and the price of diesel is Rs 96.67 per liter," he said.

Referring to the rising price of petrol and diesel in many opposition-ruled states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked these states to reduce VAT on petroleum products in the 'national interest' to provide relief to the common man and cooperative federalism in this era of global crisis. Appealed to work with the spirit of.

Modi on Wednesday said that despite the central government cutting excise duty on petrol and diesel in November last year, some states have not reduced VAT on it and they have done "injustice" to their people by not giving them benefits. has done.