Youth Congress workers detained by police during protests over Kerala budget (PTI)
Kochi (Kerala):
The Youth Congress protested against the Kerala budget in Kochi on Wednesday and clashed with police personnel who used water cannons to disperse the protesters.
Protesters march to the Kanayanur taluk office against the hike in cess on petrol and diesel in the recently released state budget. Angry Congress workers also burnt tires in front of the barricades put up to stop the protesters.
The police baton-charged the protesters and used water cannons, which led to scuffles between the two groups.
After presenting the budget for the financial year 2023-24 on Thursday, the Kerala government is facing massive backlash from the general public.
The government has proposed to increase the prices of petrol and diesel in the state by Rs 2 per litre.
People say that due to increase in cess on petrol and diesel, there will be a huge increase in the prices. The prices of daily use items have more than doubled in Kerala.
On Sunday, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union minister Prakash Javadekar criticized the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government for its state budget, terming it as an anti-people budget.
“Kerala has presented its budget for the financial year 2023-24. The Center last year reduced excise duty by Rs 13 on petrol and Rs 16 on diesel. Kerala has reduced it by Rs 1 at the same time. This year, they have reduced two Has increased Rs.This is the budget of the anti-people government.
Earlier speaking to ANI, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had also said that the Kerala government’s state budget is “very disappointing”.
Tharoor said, “This is a very disappointing budget. The budget is unfortunately exploiting the common man. It seems the government has no imagination, no idea how to generate revenue.” Only doing what people are trying to do.
The MP from Thiruvananthapuram said, “Additional cess on fuel…Rs 2 per liter for petrol and diesel. More primitive tax on liquor which already has the highest tax on liquor in the whole country.”
He said that it is very important to take care of the poor and those entitled to social security pension in this country. He said this can be done by promoting revenue generation, creating opportunities for businesses and giving them a chance to make money in the state by creating an efficient environment.
Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal presented the budget for the 2022-23 financial year in the Assembly on Thursday (February 3). This is the third budget after Balagopal took over as the state’s finance minister.
To curb inflation, an allocation of Rs 2,000 crore has been made in the budget. Balagopal said that despite being a consumerist state, Kerala was able to control the price hike and the state witnessed the lowest price hike in the country.
The Finance Minister said that the prices of petrol and diesel will be increased by Rs 2 per liter in Kerala.
The minister said the Centre’s assistance to the state has been reduced and there is a possibility of a financial crisis this year.
He further said that though the state government is facing challenges due to the fiscal policies of the central government, Kerala is not in debt and the state has the financial position to take more loans.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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