Delhi Cong demands rollback of fuel hike
Maken announces signature drive, demo at Jantar Mantar on Sept. 20
Releasing a comparative data of the petrol and diesel prices during the Congress-led UPA regime in 2014 and the present BJP-led NDA government, Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said the total tax on petrol worth `100 stood at `34.45 during the Congress regime and now at `51.78.
Similarly, the taxes on diesel, which now stand at `44.40, was `19.67, when the Congress was in power in 2014.
Elaborating further, Mr Maken said the total excise plus VAT increase on petrol in Delhi as on Thursday was 104.42 per cent, while taxes on diesel are pegged at 226.02 per cent.
Criticising Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Mr Maken said that the chief minister needs to be reminded that before the Delhi elections, Mr Kejriwal told people that the government can run without taxes. In the same breath, the chief minister promised to enact the Jan Lokpal within a month of coming to power, r Maken said. However, he has backtracked and now is on the same page as Prime Minister Narendra Modi in overburdening people with unprecedented taxes on petroleum products.
He said that Mr Kejriwal, who locks horns with the the Modi government on every issue, was, surprisingly, silent on the unprecedented rise in the prices of petrol and diesel.
The AAP government too has been equally responsible for higher taxes on petroleum, he added.
Mr Maken announced following the signature campaign, the party will stage a protest demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, September 20 demanding roll back of the hike on petrol and diesel. He said this protest will also be taken to the district and block levels.
He said that last year too, the party unit had collected 10 lakh signatures at petrol pumps across the Capital to protest against the rise in the prices of petrol and diesel. The Congress leader expressed concern for the transport sector, which is hit hard by the fuel hike. petroleum prices. The hike will also have a cascading effect on the prices of all essential commodities, Mr Maken added.