Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has publicly challenged the Indian government over persistently high domestic fuel prices, arguing that consumers are not seeing relief despite global crude oil benchmarks falling back to pre-war levels.
The opposition leader’s comments, reported by The Hindu Business Line, frame the issue as a deliberate policy choice to maintain tax revenues rather than a reflection of underlying commodity costs.
Kharge specifically accused the ruling BJP of exploiting the public through elevated taxation on petrol and diesel.
His remarks come as global energy markets have seen Brent crude retreat from wartime highs, a trend previously noted by Bloomberg as stabilizing amid reduced geopolitical escalation in the Middle East.
The disconnect between wholesale crude prices and retail pump costs is a recurring theme in energy markets, where excise duties and dealer margins often insulate consumers from immediate wholesale price drops.
This political friction mirrors broader global trends where motorists face prolonged elevated costs even as crude stabilizes.