: A day after the Centre announced a reduction in the excise duty of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 respectively, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday lashed out at the Union government saying that the decision was made out of fear and not from the heart.

“This is a decision out of fear, not from the heart. Give answer to this ‘vasooli’ government’s loot in the coming elections (sic),” she said in a tweet (roughly translated from Hindi).

Taking a cue from the central government’s move to reduce fuel prices on the eve of Diwali, chief ministers of several BJP-ruled states announced a further reduction of petrol and diesel prices.

States including Assam, Tripura, Karnataka, Goa and Manipur have reduced petrol, diesel prices by Rs 7 while Uttarakhand has reduced VAT by Rs 2.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh said that after reduction of taxes /duties by the Centre and the State, the prices of Diesel and Petrol here will go down by Rs 12 per litre.

After the Centre reduced excise duty, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, “the states should add to this celebration by reducing VAT on fuel to give further relief to consumers.”

Congress calls it PM Modi’s jumla

Earlier on Wednesday, Congress leader and spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had slammed that Centre’s move by terming it as PM Modi’s jumla.

“In the year 2021, prices of petrol were hiked by ₹28 and diesel by ₹26 per litre. After losing 14 by-elections and 2 Lok Sabhas, reducing the petrol-diesel price by ₹5 and ₹10 is tom-tommed as ‘Diwali gift’ of Modi Ji! Hey Ram…” He tweeted.