BJP wants TS to cut VAT on fuel

Harish Rao calls Centre’s tax cut partial

The move to reduce Central excise on petrol and diesel by the BJPruled Central government has sparked a fresh battle over the prices of these two fuels in Telangana between the state Bharatiya Janata Party unit and the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti.

The BJP , on Sunday, led by its state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and Union minister G. Kishan Reddy demanded an immediate reduction in the value added tax (VAT) imposed by the state government on fuel to give further relief to common people.

However, state finance minister T. Harish Rao dismissed the opposition clamour, ridiculing the Central excise reduction as ‘penchindi baarana, tagginchindi chaaraana’ (they raised rates by a lot, reduced just a bit).

Calling the Central excise reduction an “attempt to cheat people”, Harish Rao said, “These are bogus claims... a mere humbug. Let the Central excise duty return to what it was when the BJP came

When the NDA came to power in 2014, the Central cess on diesel was `3.46 a litre, which rose to `31 a litre now. The Centre still collects `16.40 as cess per litre of petrol.

to power in 2014. Then the BJP may speak about what Telangana government, which never hiked VAT on fuels, should do.”

The top two BJP leaders, on their part, stuck to their guns and accused the KCR-led government of “looting the public” through VAT on petrol and diesel. The issue is expected to figure in its

THE STATE is earning `30 a litre on fuels. The state govt must explain why it is refusing to reduce tax. Is it because the state no longer has funds and depends on fuel taxes?

T. HARISH RAO, Finance Minister

BANDI SANJAY, President, TS BJP

state executive meeting expected to be held on Monday.

Kishan Reddy said fuel prices rose due to Covidinduced financial conditions, which the Ukr-aine war only exacerbated, making the increase in oil prices unstoppable.