Center adopted ‘step-motherly’ attitude towards opposition ruled states, she says
Center adopted ‘step-motherly’ attitude towards opposition ruled states, she says
of Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusatory remarks on opposition states West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the high prices of petrol and diesel are misleading and one-sided, alleging that the Center has taken a “step-motherly” approach towards opposition-ruled states.
Ms Banerjee was reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks that many states are not following the Centre’s call to reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT). petrol and diesel However, his government had reduced the excise duty on him in November last year.
The Chief Minister said that it would have been better for the Prime Minister not to “discuss the subject” in the meeting called on the COVID-19 situation. “Obviously, it was a one-sided agenda. The Chief Minister of the opposition was unable to speak. We have listened to you carefully but we do not agree with your views. The opposition states are treated step-motherly.”
Ms Banerjee claimed that West Bengal owes Rs 97,000 crore to the Center and that the government will reduce VAT on petroleum if even half the amount is disbursed to the state. He said his government was deducting VAT by ₹1 on petroleum products, which cost ₹1,500 crore to the exchequer. He said that the Modi government has raised Rs 17,31,242 crore through excise duty collection on petroleum products.
“We wanted the prices of petroleum products to be low and their [Prime Minister] The gift is that he is asking the states to do the same. From where shall we do this?” He said that only 25% of the money collected by central taxes is given to the states.
He also accused the Center of allocating more funds to BJP-ruled states and highlighted that states which have extended full support to Mr. Modi, are facing “discrimination and step-motherly attitude” to opposition-ruled states. Does matter.
He said that the Center is increasing the cess on petroleum products but the state is not getting the benefit of the cess. He said there are several social sector schemes in the state which will continue despite “non-cooperation of the Centre”.
Ms Banerjee accused the Center of undermining the federal structure and running “President’s rule instead of cooperative federalism”. She said that she is giving her full moral support to all the states whose names were named by the Prime Minister for reducing VAT on petroleum products.