The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) on Thursday dismissed reports claiming a potential hike in petrol and diesel prices after elections, terming such claims as “fake” and misleading.
In a post on X, the ministry clarified that there is no proposal under consideration to hike petrol and diesel prices. It cautioned that “such news items are designed to create fear and panic amongst the citizens and are mischievous and misleading.”
The clarification comes amid rising global crude oil prices, which had triggered speculation – particularly on social media – about a possible revision in domestic fuel rates once polling concludes in parts of the country.
Reiterating the government’s stance, the ministry noted that retail fuel prices have remained unchanged, with oil marketing companies (OMCs) absorbing fluctuations in international crude costs. It added that “India is the only country where petrol and diesel prices haven’t increased in the last 4 years,” owing to sustained efforts by the government and public sector oil companies to “insulate the Indian citizens from steep increases in international prices.”
The ministry also urged citizens to rely only on verified and official sources for information, warning against the spread of unverified claims online.
