The 1 paisa cut in fuel prices drew major criticism from the Congress on Wednesday. Rahul Gandhi, who led the attack on Bharatiya Janata Party, termed the price reduction as a “prank” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Petrol and diesel prices were on Wednesday cut by 1 paisa per litre each, the first reduction after 16 days of continuous price hikes.

Slamming the 1 paisa ‘relief’, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said if this was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of a “prank”, it was “childish and in poor taste”.

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Rahul Gandhi said the 1 paisa cut in petrol rates was not a “suitable response” to the fuel challenge he threw to the Prime Minister a few days ago.

“Dear PM, You’ve cut the price of Petrol and Diesel today by 1 paisa. ONE paisa!?? If this is your idea of a prank, it’s childish and in poor taste,” Gandhi tweeted.

“P.S. A ONE paisa cut is not a suitable response to the ‘Fuel Challenge’ I threw you last week,” he said.

Dear PM,

You’ve cut the price of Petrol and Diesel today by 1 paisa. ONE paisa!??

If this is your idea of a prank, it’s childish and in poor taste.

P.S. A ONE paisa cut is not a suitable response to the #FuelChallenge I threw you last week. https://t.co/u7xzbUUjDS

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 30, 2018

Other Congress leaders too took to Twitter slamming PM Modi and his government’s decision.

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Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the decision to reduce the price of petrol and diesel by 1 paisa is an insult, while asking “When will “Maun Modi” become “Bol Modi” on the #FuelChallenge?”.

मोदी जी,

पेट्रोल-डीज़ल से 4 साल में 10 लाख करोड़ की लूट,

मत मज़ाक़ उड़ाइये,देकर एक पैसे की छूट!

When will “Maun Modi” become “Bol Modi” on the #FuelChallenge ?

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 30, 2018

President of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee Sanjay Nirupam said the price cut was a “cruel joke on us”.

This is absolutely a cruel joke on us. After increasing #FuelPrice everyday continuously for 16 days, #ModiGovt has cut petrol price by 1 paisa today.#ShameOnBJP https://t.co/oZdQRHXdvZ

— Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) May 30, 2018

National spokesperson of Congress Sanjay Jha took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called him “a far-thinking visionary” for his belief in 1 paisa at a time incrementalism.

I think #Modi Ji believes in incrementalism: 1 paisa at a time. He is a far-thinking visionary. https://t.co/BqPCYMDZrV

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) May 30, 2018

Manish Tiwari and Pratap Singh Bajwa slammed BJP and called the 1 paisa relief as a cruel joke with common man.

May be @dpradhanbjp wants the country to dance 💃 with ecstasy at this huge relief of ONE WHOLE PAISA! WOW! https://t.co/AuY1qtmGUR

— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) May 30, 2018

This is a cruel joke with common man.1 paisa cut,seriously? https://t.co/cOlZ8FAaI7

— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) May 30, 2018

The marginal decline in the fuel prices had its share of excitement with state-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC) first announcing a reduction of 60 paise — the biggest since daily price revision was introduced in mid-June last year — only to retract it within a couple of hours citing a technical error.

The oil companies announced reduction in petrol price by 60 paise to Rs 77.83 a litre and diesel by 56 paise to Rs 68.75 in Delhi. This was rectified to 1 paisa a litre.

As per the revised rates, the petrol prices on Wednesday stood at Rs 78.42, Rs 81.05, Rs 86.23 and Rs 81.42 per litre, respectively, in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.