Government slashes excise duty on fuel, but Congress questions real consumer relief. The Finance Ministry cut petrol excise to ₹3 per litre from ₹13 and eliminated diesel duty entirely following global crude price surge. However, opposition leaders argue the cuts benefit oil companies absorbing losses from Middle East tensions, not consumers. Retail pump prices remain unchanged despite the duty reduction. Congress claims the relief exists only in headlines while actual consumer pockets see no benefit. Oil company shares IOC, BPCL, and HPCL gained on the announcement. The debate highlights the gap between government policy announcements and tangible market impact for ordinary citizens facing fuel costs.
