Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said the BJP has no moral right to ask states to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel. He further demanded the central government to impose a cess on petroleum products.
KCR told reporters on Sunday evening that the ruling TRS government has not increased VAT on petroleum products, so the question of reduction does not arise.
Criticizing Telangana BJP leaders for announcing agitational programs against the TRS government to discourage farmers from not cultivating paddy this rabi season, KCR said it is the Center which is ready to procure paddy from the state. Not there.
“Cess on petrol and diesel should be withdrawn. We will not let you rest (until the NDA government does so). The entire paddy grown in Telangana should be procured by the Centre. State BJP leaders should stop making hollow statements and they need to persuade the Center and get orders accordingly.”
KCR said that even though the international crude oil prices were hovering at lower levels, the Center hiked the fuel prices in the name of cess, thereby burdening the common man.
The CM claimed that international oil prices never reached $105 a barrel after 2014, though the Center increased the prices.
“We have not increased VAT. We have not increased a single penny, so the question of deduction does not arise. Ever since the TRS government was formed, VAT has not been increased. Which idiot would ask us to deduct (VAT)? The idiot who has increased it will have to reduce it,” 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 in the interest of the country. Because without any increase in the prices of crude oil in the international market, the government has unnecessarily imposed cess on petrol and diesel, whose burden is falling on the 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…,” he added.
“These people are lying about international (raw) prices. They are levying cess so that it does not come under divisible pool. This is putting 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 will run an agitational program to bring down VAT to the Telangana government as well. He also demanded that the state government should buy paddy from farmers.
“Delhi BJP says one thing and foolish (sic) BJP (state unit) says another thing. Which one is correct?,” KCR questioned.
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.
“We will raise this issue (paddy procurement) in Parliament. We will also hold dharnas in the districts. And if needed, Telangana MPs, MLAs, MLCs including Chief Minister will stage a sit-in 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.
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