Mumbai: All Opposition parties in Maharashtra will hold a Bharat Bandh over the petrol, diesel and domestic cooking gas (LPG) price hike on September 10. Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam claimed that the city would be closed down completely. The petrol pump associations, Aahar associations and 37 big markets will also support the bandh. Mr Nirupam said that petrol and diesel are being sold at the highest prices in Maharashtra in comparison with other states of the country.
Addressing a press conference at Mumbai Congress office on Saturday, Mr Nirupam, who was accompanied by National Congress Party (NCP) chief spokesperson Nawab Malik, said that hike in petrol, diesel and gas have resulted in inflation. “We have been demanding to bring diesel and petrol under the Goods and Service Tax (GST), but this BJP-led government did not agree. If this is implemented, then people would be able to purchase petrol and diesel at 50 per cent cheaper price,” he said. The government earned Rs 11 lakh through various taxes, out of which 27 to 28 percent taxes including exercise duty, agricultural welfare cess, and drought cess have been levied on petrol and diesel.
Mr Nirupam slammed government for collecting drought cess from the people, in spite of the flooding situation. Mr Malik said that during the UPA regime, the exercise duty on petrol was Rs 6 per litre, which has now been increased by Rs 18. While, the exercise duty on diesel was RS 3, which has now been increased by Rs 15 per litre, he added.
