New Delhi: Congress tonight reacted sharply to government's handling of petrol and diesel prices accusing it of "giving a penny and extracting a pound."


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"The government, going by the price it is paying for international crude oil, should be selling petrol at Rs 19.40 per litre instead of Rs 59.03 per litre and diesel at Rs 15.71 per liter instead of Rs 44.18 per litre," Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.


He said that prices of international crude oil is 72.21 percent lower than what they were on May 26, 2014 when the BJP government took over and a proportionate reduction in
retail prices should be transferred to the consumer.


"Profiteering at the cost of the common hapless consumer- farmer-commuter, the government has reduced the prices of diesel and petrol by a few paise today and has diabolically
increased excise on petrol and diesel for the 8th consecutive time," he said.