Left parties have called cut in central excise duty Too little, too late, on the fuel announced on the eve of Diwali and it was the unfavorable by-election results that forced the government’s hand.
Central excise duty was cut by ₹5 per liter on petrol and ₹10 per liter on diesel. Several BJP-ruled states followed the announcement with a cut in state excise duty. Even then, Petrol costs ₹100. is above in major cities.
CPI General Secretary D. Raja said that the shortfall is nominal, especially since it has come between approx. daily increase in prices. “People are facing difficulties due to the massive impact on the prices of essential commodities due to high fuel prices,” he said. It was no coincidence that the cut in central excise duty came after the by-election results. “If the election results were favorable to the BJP, would they have really cut excise duty,” he asked.
The CPI(M) Politburo expressed a similar view in a statement. It said the cut would not provide the necessary and long-awaited relief. Central excise duty alone was ₹33 per liter of petrol and ₹32 per liter of diesel. The party demanded further reduction in central excise duty and abolition of special cess on fuel. “This is merely a reaction to the unfavorable bypoll results for the BJP in some states,” it said.
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