Kejriwal accuses BJP of sponsoring petrol pumps strike

As 400 petrol pumps down shutters in the national capital protesting against the Delhi government’s refusal to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has turned the tables on the BJP-led government at the Centre accusing it to have sponsored the strike.

“Petrol pump owners have told us privately that this is a BJP sponsored strike, actively supported by oil companies. In fact, BJP has thrust it upon petrol pump owners. People will give BJP a befitting reply in elections for continuously inconveniencing people through their dirty politics,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.

All 400 petrol pumps along with linked CNG dispensing units will remain shut from 6 am on Monday to 5 am tomorrow in protest against Delhi government’s refusal to reduce VAT on diesel and petrol in the national capital. The protest has been called by Delhi Petrol Dealers Association.

There are about 400 petrol pumps in Delhi which also have linked compressed natural gas (CNG) stations and all of them will be closed for nearly 24 hours in protest, the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association (DPDA) said in a statement.

Early this month, the Centre had reduced the excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 1.50 per litre and had asked state-run oil marketing companies to reduce the prices by another Re 1 per litre.

It had also urged the state governments to reduce local taxes by an equal amount to give relief to consumers. Several BJP-ruled states did reduce but the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi did not cut local taxes.

This resulted in the two fuels becoming costlier in Delhi compared to neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh with which the national capital shares its borders.