29 April,2026 05:15 PM IST | | mid-day online correspondent
Fake fuel price hike order goes viral; govt debunks, political sparring intensifies. Representational Pic
A viral document claiming that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has increased petrol and diesel prices by Rs 10 and Rs 12.50, respectively, has been flagged as fake by the Press Information Bureau's Fact Check unit.
In a clarification, PIB Fact Check stated that no such order has been issued by the Government of India, urging citizens not to fall for misleading information circulating on social media.
The agency advised the public to verify such claims only through official government sources before sharing them, reiterating concerns over the spread of misinformation.
The purported order had also been shared by leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress on social media platforms, adding to its visibility.
Meanwhile, the issue triggered a political exchange, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claiming that fuel prices could rise after the April 29 phase of polling.
In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that the government had benefited when global crude oil prices were low and would now pass on the burden to citizens as prices increase.
"Election relief over, inflation's heat is on its way! After April 29, watch out, petrol, diesel, and everything will get expensive. When crude oil was cheap, the government pocketed the profits. Now that it's expensive, it will shift the burden onto you," he said.
Gandhi also accused the Centre of profiteering during a period of low international crude prices, alleging that consumers would now bear the impact as costs rise, further fuelling the ongoing debate over fuel pricing and inflation.
On Tuesday, as well the government clarified that it has no plans to raise petrol and diesel prices, dismissing speculation of a hike after polling in West Bengal ends on April 29.
