Chhattisgarh's Bhupesh Baghel government on Monday has finally shown its cards on the soaring fuel prices and have decided to reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) by one percent on petrol and two percent on diesel prices.
The slashing of VAT on crude oil will result in terms of revenue loss by around Rs 1,000 crores to the exchequer, the Chhattisgarh government said in a statement.
Despite the government claiming that it will have to swallow bitter pill in terms of mega revenue loss in order to give relief to the public in the context of surging fuel prices, the decision hasn’t gone well down in the political arena.
Leading opposition party BJP said that the central government relaxed the fuel prices by Rs 10 to which the Congress claimed the reduction is very less and it's not enough.
Now, the flabbergasting Baghel government has slashed only 77 paise per litre in fuel prices. None of the elected governments makes such an ugly joke with its public, BJP alleged. It was disgusting.
BJP State President Vishnudeo Sai criticized the decision taken by the Baghel cabinet in strong words and compared it with Mungerilal dreams. He threatened that the public will teach him a lesson in the 2023 assembly polls.
Moreover, there was an expectation in public that the state government will also reduce fuel prices by Rs 5/liter.
On the issue of the fuel price reduction, AAP leader Durga Jha said "the reduction made in the fuel prices was very low in comparison to the hike made in fuel prices. The state and central government both were in the capacity that they can provide relief to the public by making deductions of at least Rs 25 per litre. Unfortunately, it won’t happen. The public is sulking with anger and definitely, the lesson will be taught."
However, on the whole issue, Congress while defending the decision made by the state, the party leadership said that it provided relief to the public by making a reduction.
Congress State President Mohan Markam said BJP men should demand from the Central government to slash the excise duty on fuel oil prices and the prices will automatically go down.
