Amid a clamour by the Opposition for cutting taxes to soften record high petrol and diesel prices, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday equated the move to ‘axing one’s own feet’, saying such levies funded government schemes to provide free COVID-19 vaccines, meals and cooking gas to millions amid the pandemic.
He also said domestic rates are linked to international oil prices, which have shot up due a variety of reasons which need to be understood.
