Rajasthan Assembly Elections: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday claimed that the price of petrol in Rajasthan was the highest in the country because of taxes imposed by the Congress government in the state. He further said that the Ashok Gehlot government has collected tax of Rs 35,975 crore on petrol and diesel in the last two years.
The remark of Singh, who is Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, came after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot alleged that petrol rates are high in Rajasthan because the centre did not reduce the tax on it.
Here's what Hardeep Puri says about Ashok Gehlot's remark
Addressing a press conference at the BJP state media centre, Puri said that in the last two years, the Rajasthan government has collected tax of Rs 35,975 crore on petrol and diesel till November 2021-22 and 2022-23.
"In a recent interview, CM Gehlot said that petrol rates are high in Rajasthan because the centre did not reduce the tax on it. In the last two years, from November 2021 to 2023, the Rajasthan government collected Rs 35,975 crore as tax on petrol," he said.
The Union Minister further said that when the tax collection in Rajasthan is compared to that in 18 states and union territories, it is very high. He said that the tax collection of these 18 states and union territories, including Delhi, Uttarakhand, Nagaland, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Ladakh, Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, is Rs 32,597 crore.
'Rajasthan alone collected Rs 2000 crore more than 18 other states'
"This is more than the collective tax of 18 other Indian states including Delhi, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh. 18 states and Union Territories collected Rs 32,594 crore as tax in two years. Rajasthan alone collected Rs 2000 crore more than 18 other states and Union Territories," he added.
Puri said that today the average rate of petrol across the country is Rs 96.72 per litre, but in Ganganagar in Rajasthan, it is Rs 113.34 per litre. Targeting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over his statement that the central government is imposing more tax on petrol and diesel, the Union minister said the CM should look into his own affairs.
Elections to the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will be held on November 25, and the counting of votes will be on December 3.
In 2018, Congress won 100 seats in the 2018 Assembly polls. BJP followed at 73 seats while BSP garnered 6 seats. Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) gathered 3 seats with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) mustered 2 seats each. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) managed to grab just one seat while there were 13 independent candidates in the 2018 Assembly Elections.
(With agencies input)
