Mumbai: The Congress on Tuesday condemned the decision to increase taxes on diesel and petrol in Delhi and said higher fuel prices would adversely affect the supply chain, agriculture sector and farmers.
Spokesperson Ajay Maken said, “The Congress Party condemns this unprecedented hike in VAT on petrol and diesel to 30 pc from 27 pc on petrol and 16.5 pc in diesel in Delhi. We demand an immediate rollback of this hike.”
He said that during the Congress rule, VAT was 20% on petrol and 12.5% on diesel.
Maken said that the VAT Act, 2004, passed during Congress rule, had stopped VAT on 20 tonnes for petrol and diesel, but soon after coming to power in 2015, on 30 June, the AAP government amended the Act to the cap. Increased to 30 pcs.
Despite public demonstrations at loggerheads with the AAP government, the lieutenant governor and the central government, representing the BJP moved the bill within two weeks and notified it on July 14, he lamented.
He said, “Citizens who get relief from such treatment in the form of cash and tax cuts are shameful. Anywhere in the world, any government would have inflicted such suffering on its citizens.”
Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev also said that the decision by the Delhi government as well as the Assam government to hike diesel and petrol prices through an increase in taxes was reprehensible and the prices should be pushed back.
“Diesel and petrol are linked to the lifeline of the people. The supply chain will have a direct impact on the agriculture sector and farmers. This is a wrong decision and we strongly condemn it,” he said. On the increase in duty on liquor by the Delhi government, he said, while liquor is necessary for the economy but it is not necessary for life.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and like us on Facebook for the latest updates and interesting stories.
