What are the people supposed to conclude? Are Rahul Gandhi and his reluctant allies only committed to tweets and television bytes when it comes to give relief to the common man?" Jaitley said.However, a high cost of crude oil adversely impacts the current account deficit.Non-BJP ruled states like Kerala, Karnataka and West Bengal have refused to cut taxes.."Let me categorically assure all that there is no going back on deregulation of oil prices," he added."Indias macroeconomic fundamentals with regard to its fiscal deficit, inflation, foreign exchange reserves etc.In a Facebook post titled The oil prices and the hypocrisy of the opposition, Jaitley accused the government critics of doing a volte face by terming the cut in petrol and diesel prices by Rs 2. The others refused to do so," Jaitley said, adding in an extraordinary situation, the capacity of an economy to give relief will depend on its fiscal strength."Yet we have a situation where a number of non-BJP non-NDA States have refused to pass on any benefit to the consumer.He said states collect extra taxes when oil prices go up since their taxes are ad valorem.He said the NDA government has an "exemplary record" of fiscal prudence and has maintained the gradual glide path since 2014 to bring down fiscal deficit. "We will continue to do so".New Delhi: With non-BJP ruled states refusing to cut taxes on fuel, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday questioned Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his "reluctant allies" if they are only committed to tweets and television bytes when it comes to giving relief to the common man."Even Rahul Gandhi, whose party had inflicted a double digit inflation on India during the past five years of UPA-II, gave television bytes and released tweets advocating a price reduction," Jaitley said. That, in turn, impacts the currency.5 per litre cut in petrol and diesel prices, of which Rs 1.The government had on Thursday announced a Rs 2."We have requested the States to make a similar cut.5 per litre is on account of reduction in excise duty and the remaining Re 1 per litre would be absorbed by oil marketing companies."Must not the non-BJP States be candid with the people and tell them that both in 2017 and 2018 they refused to give any relief to the people even from their higher revenues. Tax collections are encouraging," Jaitley said. They sent out tweets and gave television bytes but when it came to performance, they looked the other way," Jaitley said.Stating that the government critics rejoiced the political consequences of the increase of the crude prices, Jaitley said when the price was reduced, the critics did a "volte face and argued that this is bad economics"."No Government can be insensitive towards its people," Jaitley added.Jaitley said the political crisis in Venezuela and Libya has adversely impacted oil producing countries and the US sanctions on Iran also have increased uncertainties over supplies. are fairly stable.He said the high cost of crude oil has also impacted the currency situation."Both the factors have an impact on the cost of fuel available to a citizen," he said, adding the cost of crude oil has reached its highest level in the past four years.It also appealed Y ring for sale to the state governments to cut VAT rates.5 per litre by the centre as bad economics. Additionally, the hardening of the dollar has further impacted most global currencies. BJP-ruled states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Assam, Jharkhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh followed suit. Most of the BJP-NDA States did so.Last year in October, when the oil prices were rising, the Centre cut excise duty by Rs 2.He said the challenges thrown up by the increase in the international price of crude oil is serious and cannot be resolved by either the tweets or television bytes of some opposition leaders.