VIJAYAWADA: Terming the slashing of excise duty on fuel prices by the Centre a mere eyewash, Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) has alleged that the government did it only because of the BJP’s debacle in the by-elections held across the country. Nani said the BJP had even lost its deposit in the Badvel Assembly bypoll.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the minister said that the Centre has increased the prices of petrol and diesel, despite a fall in crude oil rates. “The fuel rates have gone up to Rs 110 from Rs 70, but the Centre has slashed only Rs 10 even though the hike was almost Rs 40. The BJP leaders have been propagating as if they have achieved something big, while the common people are suffering with the abnormal fuel rates,’’ Nani said.
“We have imposed Rs 1 cess on petrol and diesel after coming to power. If the same calculation applies, how much should we reduce? Seven or eight paise?’’ Nani questioned the BJP leaders.He said that Centre is showing excise duty as only Rs 47,000 crore to reduce the share of the States and is disbursing just Rs 19,000 crore to the States. “Apart from these, the Centre is collecting Rs 74,000 crore as surcharge, another Rs 1.98 lakh crore as tax for building basic infrastructure and other taxes all worth Rs 3,50,000 crore and looting people like blood sucking leeches,’’ he alleged.
Responding to the TDP leader’s agitation at petrol bunks, he said that the previous TDP government had imposed a surcharge of Rs 2 on the fuel prices and looted almost Rs 10,000 crore from the public. He said that the current government had only levied Rs 1 for repairing roads, the area neglected during the TDP rule. The minister dared Chandrababu Naidu to protest in Delhi. He said the TDP protests at petrol bunks are only to create a law and order issue and irk the government.
Fuel issue: TDP stages protests across state
Vijayawada: Demanding that the State government cut the prices of petrol and diesel, the TDP leaders and cadre staged one-hour protests at petrol bunks across the State on Tuesday in response to the call given by party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu. The TDP activists held banners and placards and raised slogans criticising the YSRC government for not reducing the petrol and diesel rates.