Centre must cut fuel price in proportion to hike, says CM Stalin

Addressing party workers at the one-year achievement rally in Attur near Salem, Chief Minister MK Stalin compared his government’s earlier Rs 3 petrol price cut with the most recent fuel price cut implemented by the Centre and said, “Whenever the Union government reduces its tax (on petrol/diesel), the state tax also reduces automatically. It is wrong to say that only the Centre has reduced the tax.”

Referring to Rs 10 hike in petrol price implemented by the Centre in the last two months, the CM said, “The Union government’s tax on petrol was Rs 9.48 per litre in 2014. It is Rs 27.90 per litre in May 2022. They have reduced Rs 8 per litre of petrol now. They have hiked the manifold and reduced it a bit. Actually, they should reduce it further. They should reduce it in proportion to the hike,” Stalin said.

Stating that states have the responsibility and duty to provide education, health, drinking water, electricity, road, storm water drains, noon meals and civic infrastructure to the people, the CM said, “Centre snatches away all financial rights of states and imposes a kind of financial stress on states. The Centre prevents states from fulfilling the needs of the people.”

Citing the Rs 21,761 crore arrear due to the state from the Centre, Stalin said that his government has done so much in the last year despite the financial constraints.

Remarking that people who don’t know the meaning of social justice and equality were raising communal issues, he said, “The Dravidian model of growth envisioned by Periyar, Anna and Kalaignar desires to see the social status of people improve. Dravidian model does not demolish, but construct. It will not neglect but integrate people. It will not divide but unite people. It will not oppress but treats everyone equally. It will not neglect, but embrace everyone.”