Hyderabad: Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy defended the fuel price hike and accused Congress and BRS leaders of politicising the increase in petrol and diesel prices. He said both parties were making misleading allegations for political reasons. He also appealed to the public not to believe their statements.
Kishan Reddy spoke to the media in Hyderabad on Friday after oil companies increased petrol and diesel prices across the country. He confirmed that the revised rates came into effect from Friday morning. Oil companies raised fuel prices by more than Rs 3 per litre nationwide.
The minister said the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran forced the government to take the decision. He clarified that the Centre did not increase prices to burden consumers. According to him, India was spending heavily on crude oil imports because of international market conditions. Therefore, he said the government acted after reviewing global developments.
Fuel price hike linked to crude oil pressures
Kishan Reddy said petrol and diesel prices also increased in countries such as the United States, Germany, and Japan. He argued that the current rise reflected global crude oil trends rather than domestic policy decisions. He added that oil companies faced mounting pressure because of rising import costs and international instability.
Meanwhile, Congress and BRS criticised the revised fuel rates and alleged that the increase would place an additional burden on the public. In response, Kishan Reddy defended the Centre’s handling of the issue. He maintained that the government considered international market conditions before approving the latest fuel price hike.
