The Union government was cutting down on fuel prices just before the Assembly elections in a few States only to hike them several times after they were over, whereas the Tamil Nadu government reduced the State tax on petrol as promised, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
Responding to queries raised by Congress floor leader K. Selvaperunthagai (Sriperumbudur) in the House over a virtual meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by various Chief Ministers [where the issue of tax on petrol was flagged], Mr. Stalin elaborated on how the Union government reduced the excise duty and increased the cess and the surcharge on fuel, affecting the people as well as the States.
“Since it [BJP] came power in 2014, whenever crude oil prices fell, instead of cutting down petrol and diesel prices accordingly, the Union government kept the surplus to itself it had generated due to the fall in crude oil prices,” Mr. Stalin contended.
