Delhi BJP stages dharna near Kejriwal's residence, demands cut in VAT on petrol, diesel

Delhi BJP president said that the party workers will continue the agitation unless Kejriwal announces reduction in VAT on fuel

The Delhi BJP on Saturday staged a dharna near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence at Flagstaff Road here, demanding cut in value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel.

Leading the protesters, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said that the party workers will continue the agitation unless Kejriwal announces reduction in VAT on petrol and diesel.

"The Kejriwal government is not bothered about common man and that is the reason it's paying no attention on prices of petrol and diesel," he claimed.

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There is a huge price difference now between the BJP-ruled states and Delhi ruled by the AAP. The Kejriwal government should also now announce reduction in VAT on petrol and diesel without any delay, Gupta stated.

The central government on Wednesday cut excise duty on petrol by Rs 5 per litre and that on diesel by Rs 10 a litre to give reprieve to consumers battered by record high retail fuel prices.

Since states charge local sales tax or VAT not just on the base price but also on the excise duty levied by the Centre, the total incidence of price reduction is higher.

Petrol now costs Rs 103.97 per litre in Delhi against Rs 110.04 per litre, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.

Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri claimed that even in 2018 the Centre had given relief by cutting excise duty by Rs 5, "but the Kejriwal government did not follow suit".

"...there is maximum VAT in Delhi on petrol and diesel compared to other states. It is therefore must that the Kejriwal government should have already cut down VAT and extended relief to people. In fact after the Centre reducing it, there is now moral responsibility on the Kejriwal government to follow the suit," Bidhuri said.

He alleged that Kejriwal was busy in "political expansion of his party that he is least bothered about issues of Delhi".

"He is calling a day-long session of the house to discuss trivial issues of Punjab rather than resolving farmers problem here," Bidhuri said.