After the Central government announced a Rs 2.50 a litre cut in the petrol and diesel prices, the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday demanded the Congress-led Punjab government to cut down the prices of fuel. Giving an ultimatum to the government of Punjab, the SAD threatened an agitation unless the state government cuts down fuel prices by Rs 5 by reducing VAT on petroleum products within two days.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had asked the governments of states to follow suit by cutting a sales tax or VAT by a similar amount to give consumers a total benefit of Rs 5 per litre.
"The Congress government and its finance minister Manpreet Badal have turned a blind eye to the suffering of the common man as well as farmers by refusing to reduce petrol and diesel prices," said senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a statement in Chandigarh.
"This despite an announcement by Pradesh Congress (Committee) president Sunil Jakhar that the state would reduce its own taxes on petro-products after the Centre did the same. Now that the Centre has taken this step, will Jakhar hold a dharna outside the office of the finance minister," Majithia asked.
He further alleged Jakhar was fooling the people and farmers of Punjab by holding dharnas.
"It is clear that Jakhar was trying to befool the people of Punjab and farmers' by holding pointless dharnas, knowing well that his government did not have any intention of reducing fuel prices," he said.
BJP ally SAD demanded the Congress government to cut the petrol and diesel prices by Rs 5 per litre as it is charging the highest tax in northern India.
He claimed the state has collected an annual tax of Rs 5,800 crore and now must pass on some of this benefit to the people.
Punjab government had failed to arrive at a decision on reducing the fuel prices on Friday.
Chief minister Amarinder Singh has called a meeting of officers on Monday to take a final call on the issue.
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