Is 1 paisa cut in petrol, diesel prices PM Modi's idea of prank, asks Rahul Gandhi

Oil firms have announced a reduction of 1 paisa per litre in the prices of petrol and diesel.

With the oil firms going for a cut of 1 paisa in petrol and diesel prices, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the move “childish and in poor taste”. The Congress president took to microblogging site Twitter to attack the Prime Minister over the move.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “Dear PM, You've cut the price of Petrol and Diesel today by 1 paisa. ONE paisa!?? If this is your idea of a prank, it’s childish and in poor taste. P.S. A ONE paisa cut is not a suitable response to the #FuelChallenge I threw you last week.”

The fresh attack by the Gandhi scion on the Prime Minister came after the Indian Oil Corporation clarified on the rate cut. On Wednesday morning, the IOC had announced a price cut of 60 paise per litre in petrol and 56 paise per litre in diesel, but later clarified that the fuel prices had been reduced merely by 1 paisa per litre. The Indian Oil Corporation blamed clerical error for the confusion.

On May 24, the Congress chief had thrown a fuel challenge to Prime Minister Modi. He had challenged the Prime Minister to reduce fuel prices, just as he accepted the fitness challenge by Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli.

He had tweeted, “Dear PM, Glad to see you accept the @imVkohli fitness challenge. Here’s one from me: Reduce Fuel prices or the Congress will do a nationwide agitation and force you to do so. I look forward to your response. #FuelChallenge.”

The reduction comes after 16 consecutive price increases since May 14 when fuel retailers ended a 19-day pre-Karnataka poll hiatus to pass on a spike in global oil rates.  In all, petrol price was increased by Rs 3.8 per litre and diesel by Rs 3.38 in that fortnight.