The Congress today attacked the Modi government for hiking fuel prices, with party president Rahul Gandhi alleging that befooling people is the key principle of 'Modinomics'.

'Karnataka finishes voting, FUEL prices rise to a 4 year high! The Key Principle of Modinomics: fool as many people as you can, as often as you can,' Gandhi wrote on Twitter, using the hashtag 'PeTrolled'.

Congress's communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged that the government was befooling the public as it did not raise fuel prices only due to elections in Karnataka.

'Post deception of people of Karnataka and the country by not raising Petrol-Diesel prices for 19 continuous days to garner votes; First salvo of Petrol/Diesel enhancement is fired! How many more to be fired to fleece the pockets of ordinary people?' he asked on Twitter.

He said that people had now understood the Modi's government's game.

After a 19-day pre-Karnataka poll hiatus, petrol price was today hiked by 17 paise a litre and diesel by 21 paise as PSU oil firms began passing on the spike witnessed in international rates to consumers.

With this, diesel prices have touched a record high while petrol is at a 56-month peak.

Oil PSUs, who had kept rates unchanged for nearly three weeks before Karnataka went to polls despite input cost spiking, reverted to daily revision in prices no sooner had the state voted to elect a new government on Saturday.  -- PTI