Go to Taliban, petrol cheaper in Afghanistan: BJP leader tells Journalist when asked about rising fuel prices

A BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh has courted controversy after he told a journalist to ‘go to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan’ when asked about the skyrocketing prices of petrol and diesel. In a video that has now gone viral on social media, a local reporter can be heard asking Madhya Pradesh BJP leader Ramratan Payal’s comments on price rise and rising petrol prices.

At this question Payal loses his cool and tells him to go to Afghanistan because fuel is available for Rs 50 in Afghanistan. He further slammed the journalist for asking questions about fuel prices at a time when the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic was about to hit the country.

He is not the first leader from the BJP to demand that those critical of the party's governance move to Afghanistan. A few days ago, his Bihar colleague Haribhushan Thakur told "those who are feeling scared in India" to go to the war-torn country.

The price of petrol has crossed ₹100 a litre, while diesel rates have touched ₹90 in most states across the country. Fuel prices remained unchanged across the four metros for the 34th straight day today. However, diesel prices have been cut by up to 25 paise across the metros for the third consecutive day.