KCR said, “The fool who has increased it, has to reduce it.” (file)
Hyderabad:
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday demanded the NDA government at the Center to remove the cess on petroleum products, saying the BJP has no moral right to ask states to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel.
Criticizing state BJP leaders who announced agitating programs against the TRS government for not letting farmers go for paddy cultivation this Rabi season, KCR, who is popularly known as the Chief Minister, said it is the Center Who is not ready to buy paddy. State.
KCR told reporters this evening that the ruling TRS government has not increased VAT on petroleum products and the question of reduction does not arise.
“Cess on petrol and diesel should be withdrawn. We will not allow you to take rest (unless NDA government does so). Entire paddy grown in Telangana should be bought by the Centre. Hollow statements to state BJP leaders.” should stop giving and they need to persuade the Center and get orders accordingly,” KCR said.
He said though the international crude oil prices were still at lower levels, the Center increased fuel prices in the name of cess, which burdened the common man.
According to him, international prices never touched US$ 105 a barrel after 2014, though the Center increased the prices.
“We have not increased VAT. We have not increased even a single paisa so the question of deduction does not arise. Ever since TRS government was formed, VAT has not been increased. Who fool will ask us to reduce (VAT)? The fool who did it It has to be reduced,” KCR said.
“I am demanding the Government of India to remove the total cess levied on petrol and diesel. It is possible and it is for the benefit of the country. Because without any increase in the crude oil prices in the international market, the government has Unnecessarily levied cess on petrol and diesel, burden on poor and middle class people. Now, if the government is honest towards the poor people of the country, it should take back the total cess…,” KCR said.
“We will continue the fight… and we will stage a sit-in to withdraw the cess on petrol and diesel,” he said.
KCR alleged, “These people are lying about international (raw) prices. They are levying cess so that it does not come under divisible pool. It is a burden on the common people. They are avoiding transfer to the states. ,” alleged KCR.
Telangana BJP chief B Sanjay Kumar on Saturday announced that the party would launch an agitational program to make the state government also reduce VAT. He also demanded that the state government should buy paddy from farmers.
KCR exclaimed, “Delhi BJP says one thing and foolish (sic) BJP (state unit) says another. Which one is right?”
For the past several days, the Telangana government has been requesting farmers not to go for paddy cultivation this season as the Center is reluctant to buy the commodity.
KCR said, “We will raise the issue (paddy procurement) in Parliament. We will also hold dharnas in districts. And if needed, Telangana MPs, MLAs, MLCs including the Chief Minister will hold dharna in Delhi.”
KCR said the Telangana Agriculture Minister requested farmers to quit paddy cultivation in view of the Centre’s lax attitude towards the procurement of paddy.
KCR further said that his party would also support the farmers’ movement in the north and would not allow the Center to rest until the “anti-agriculture laws” (three new agricultural laws) were withdrawn.
Alleging that BJP leaders from Telangana were claiming that they would file a case against him and send him to jail, KCR challenged the leaders to touch him.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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