Centre’s excise duty hike on fuel is ‘tax terrorism’: Selvaperunthagai

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K. Selvaperunthagai on Saturday (April 19, 2025) said that the recent increase in excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹2 per litre by the Centre is an example of “Modi government’s tax terrorism.”

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K. Selvaperunthagai on Saturday (April 19, 2025) said that the recent increase in excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹2 per litre by the Centre is an example of “Modi government’s tax terrorism.”

In a statement, the Congress leader said when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government stepped down, the excise duty on petrol and diesel was ₹9.20 and ₹3.46, respectively. Since then, the excise duty has increased by 357% for petrol and 54% for diesel. “There is no further evidence required than this, of the [Narendra] Modi government’s tax terrorism,” he alleged.

During the tenure of the UPA government, when there was a drop in international crude oil prices, the prices of petrol and diesel were also reduced accordingly. Even when crude oil was priced at $110 per barrel, the UPA government provided nearly ₹2 lakh crore as subsidies annually to avoid burdening people, he said.

“The crude oil prices have fallen by 40% since 2014. But from 2014 to 2025, due to the imposition of higher excise duty on petrol and diesel, the Union government has collected ₹39.54 lakh crore in taxes. This is a clear example of an anti-people policy,” Mr. Selvaperunthagai added.