In the 2021-22 Union Budget Session, the prices of petrol and diesel were increased. From the past few days succeeding the Budget the prices have been increasing, after the consecutive hikes in the rates of petrol and diesel the prices hit new records.
Amid the growing criticism from opposition parties over the hike in petrol prices, BJP Tamil Nadu’s spokesperson SG Suryah tweeted a list of petrol prices in different states. The data was divided into two parts – one that listed petrol prices in BJP governed states, purportedly less than Rs 90 per litre, and the other listed prices in non-BJP-governed states that were over Rs 90. Tweeting the comparison, he said, “Petrol prices are cheapest of the lot in #BJP ruled states only! Maharashtra has highest price ruled by Shiv Sena, Congress & NCP”. Later, many of the Netizens made an infographic based on the list and shared it on social media.
Although, in an authentic post, it was found that BJP led states, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, had petrol prices above Rs 90 per litre. Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, had a petrol price of Rs 92.51 on February 17, and the petrol price in Madhya Pradesh was Rs 97.5 per litre on the same date. The post also mentions Bihar, Meghalaya and Nagaland as non-BJP government, while these states have governments formed in alliance with BJP. The Bihar government is an alliance of Janta Dal-United (JDU) and BJP, the Meghalaya government is an alliance of National People’s Party (NPP) and BJP, and the Nagaland government is an alliance of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party and BJP. The petrol prices in these states on February 17, 2021, were Rs 93.43 in Bihar, Rs 86.04 in Meghalaya and Rs 91.96 in Nagaland. The list also does not mention Manipur, in which the state government is an alliance of the National People’s Party and BJP. The petrol prices in this state on February 17 was Rs 93.36 per litre. The list also forgot to mention Odisha, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, where the rates of petrol were above Rs 90. These states are non-BJP ruled. Odisha is Biju Janata Dal (BJD) governed state, Punjab is governed by Indian National Congress (INC), and Andhra Pradesh is led by Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP). The cost of petrol in these states on February 17 was Rs 91.09 in Punjab, Rs 91.52 in Odisha and Rs 95.55 in Andhra Pradesh. Hence, the list is shared with many missing details to portray that BJP ruled states have petrol prices lower than Rs 90, which is misleading.
