New Delhi, Aug 18 (Agency) Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday alleged that the flawed policies of UPA government have been responsible for rising fuel prices in the country. He said that de-regulation policy on oil was implemented by Congress government and the people are paying the price of it now. While addressing a press conference here, Mr Puri said the UPA government had issued oil bond in 2014-15 and passed on the burden to the Modi government.” On allegation by Congress general secretary Ajay Maken on Tuesday that his party the BJP’s falsehood on oil bonds, Mr Puri said, “All the figures mentioned by then were add ups and let the Congress say whatever they want,” he said.
Mr Puri said, “Why aren’t the Congress-ruled states reducing the VAT on the petroleum product.” On Monday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman alleged that as of March 31, 2021, there was Rs 1.31 lakh crore in outstanding principles and Rs 37,340 crore in interest yet to be repaid on the oil bonds dating back to the UPA-era. She said, “They (UPA) took the credit for keeping the prices of fuels low. But today the government is paying through the nose for the trickery the UPA indulged in. I can’t provide any relief due to the oil bonds worth Rs 1.44 lakh crore issued by 2012 by the UPA.”