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CHENNAI: The Congress party on Friday demanded that the Centre immediately reduce the taxes and cess on petroleum products, whose spiralling prices have affected everyone in the country. In addition, the party demanded that the government reduce import duties on household products and remove GST on goods used by common people.
“The sheer mismanagement and misrule of the Modi government over the past seven years have affected the Indian economy drastically and impacted the lives of people in every segment. In a recent survey, 97% of respondents have said they have become poorer, when compared to last year, and this indicates the level of mismanagement of the economy by the Modi government,” Congress Lok Sabha member Sashi Tharoor said. He was addressing a press conference in Chennai.
Referring to the ever-increasing prices of petroleum products under the BJP rule, Tharoor said the prices had been steady in the run up to the assembly elections. “Since May 4, 2021, the prices have gone up 40 times with a litre of petrol costing higher by Rs 12 and diesel by around Rs 10,” Tharoor said.
Even when the global crude prices went up to $125 a barrel during the UPA regime, the retail price of petrol was hovering around Rs 75 per litre. During the NDA governments, both the first and the present, the global crude prices had dropped significantly and only now inching upwards of $70 per barrel.
In addition to the high taxes, the Centre has been conveniently imposing cess, with the sole aim of getting it entirely to its kitty. “The Centre has earned a whopping Rs 4.2 lakh crore in the last fiscal through taxes and cess on petroleum products. This is three times of what the Centre earned during the UPA regime,” Tharoor said.
He said the party would raise the issue of high petroleum prices in the Parliament when it convenes next week. In addition, the Congress will raise the issue of irregularities in the Rafale deal, the mishandling of the Covid pandemic by the Centre and its failure to build critical vaccine stock.
“If there is vaccine shortage, it is not the fault of the states. It is solely the responsibility of the Centre. Most countries that placed orders for vaccines in last August have vaccinated over 50% of their population, while only 5% have been covered in India so far,” Tharoor said.
“The sheer mismanagement and misrule of the Modi government over the past seven years have affected the Indian economy drastically and impacted the lives of people in every segment. In a recent survey, 97% of respondents have said they have become poorer, when compared to last year, and this indicates the level of mismanagement of the economy by the Modi government,” Congress Lok Sabha member Sashi Tharoor said. He was addressing a press conference in Chennai.
Referring to the ever-increasing prices of petroleum products under the BJP rule, Tharoor said the prices had been steady in the run up to the assembly elections. “Since May 4, 2021, the prices have gone up 40 times with a litre of petrol costing higher by Rs 12 and diesel by around Rs 10,” Tharoor said.
Even when the global crude prices went up to $125 a barrel during the UPA regime, the retail price of petrol was hovering around Rs 75 per litre. During the NDA governments, both the first and the present, the global crude prices had dropped significantly and only now inching upwards of $70 per barrel.
In addition to the high taxes, the Centre has been conveniently imposing cess, with the sole aim of getting it entirely to its kitty. “The Centre has earned a whopping Rs 4.2 lakh crore in the last fiscal through taxes and cess on petroleum products. This is three times of what the Centre earned during the UPA regime,” Tharoor said.
He said the party would raise the issue of high petroleum prices in the Parliament when it convenes next week. In addition, the Congress will raise the issue of irregularities in the Rafale deal, the mishandling of the Covid pandemic by the Centre and its failure to build critical vaccine stock.
“If there is vaccine shortage, it is not the fault of the states. It is solely the responsibility of the Centre. Most countries that placed orders for vaccines in last August have vaccinated over 50% of their population, while only 5% have been covered in India so far,” Tharoor said.
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