New Delhi: Criticising the Centre over the "relentless" rise in prices of petrol and diesel, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday said that the Congress party demands petrol and diesel be brought under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) immediately.
"Relentless rise in prices of petrol and diesel is not inevitable. Because, the price is built up by excessive taxes on petrol and diesel. If taxes are cut, prices will decline significantly. Congress demands that petrol and diesel be brought under GST immediately," Chidambaram tweeted.
"Centre blaming the states is a spurious argument. BJP forgets its boast that BJP is ruling 19 States. Centre and States must act together and bring petrol and diesel under GST," he added.
Chidambaram is constantly criticising the Modi government over the rise in fuel prices. Accusing the Modi government of being "anti-consumer", Chidambaram said citizens are being "squeezed" due to the increasing petrol and diesel prices.
"Petrol and Diesel prices have hit the roof. Govt continues to squeeze the consumers. Absolutely anti-consumer", Chidambaram said in a series of tweets.
"Why doesn't the BJP bring Petrol and Diesel under GST and give relief to consumers?", Chidambaram had said earlier in January this year.
The union government and states in India impose heavy taxes on petrol and diesel, and hence there is a demand to cut on levies to bring down the prices.
In the national capital, petrol is being sold Rs.0.31 higher at Rs 79.15 per litre, while diesel prices have been hiked by Rs.0.39 to a price of Rs 71.15 per litre, according to ANI.
In Mumbai, meanwhile, petrol price has breached the Rs 86 mark, and is being sold at Rs 86.56 per litre (increased by Rs 0.31 per litre) while diesel spurted to a new high of Rs 75.54 per litre (increase by Rs 0.44 per litre).
Demand to bring petrol and diesel under GST has been constantly being raised and it was also supported by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan. He however said that the rise in fuel prices in the country was "temporary," adding that a rise in global crude oil prices was responsible for the price surge in India.
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