Fuel price row escalates day after Modi’s appeal to cut taxes
Several chief ministers hit out at the Centre again on Thursday in the row over levies on petrol and diesel, accusing the Union government of being “coercive, not cooperative”, even as Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri opened a new front in the controversy by calling out Maharashtra, West Bengal and Delhi over their Value Added Tax (VAT) rates on jet fuel.
The controversy began after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while speaking during a meeting with chief ministers on the issue of Covid-19 on Wednesday, said it was in the interest of cooperative federalism to reduce taxes on fuel to help citizens, who are reeling under the effects of high inflation. Modi had called out Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Jharkhand — all with non-BJP governments.
Responding to Modi’s remarks, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin accused the Centre of “pretending” to reduce fuel-related taxes due to “elections in some states”. “People are aware of this. Who shows real keenness in reducing petrol rates and who pretends and lays the blames on others, I leave it to the people to decide,” he said.
