Amid hue and cry over hike in fuel prices, HD Kumaraswamy, former Chief Minister of Karnataka on Sunday questioned the intentions of Congress who has been protesting against the hike throughout the country.
Taking to Twitter, Kumaraswamy said that bringing petrol under GST is nothing but exploiting the states.
"Bringing petrol under GST is nothing but exploiting the states. The present episode has shown that both BJP and Congress have stood in favour of such an exploitation. If petrol is brought under GST, people may feel that the prices have reduced for now. But this would result in the states losing out on the revenue resources that were being mobilised through the taxes on petrol," he said.
"Instead, the Centre should reduce the high rate of excise duty on petrol. Let the state government too reduce its taxes on petrol. Currently both the state and the Centre have been slapping a tax of 68 per cent on petrol. There is a dire need to reduce such a tax burden," he said in another tweet.
The Janata Dal (Secular) leader said that both the Centre and the state are getting a tax of Rs. 60 to 65 on every litre of petrol. "It is possible to bring down the price of petrol to the range of Rs. 65 to 70 a litre if the taxes being slapped by both the centre and the state do not exceed Rs. 30 a litre," he said.
"Any protest and struggle against the hike in petrol price should aim at seeking a reduction in taxes and excise duty. Such a struggle should never be intended at bringing petrol under GST. Let there be a clarity on whether the ongoing protest of Congress against hike in petrol prices is aimed at reduction in taxes or a mere inclusion of petrol under GST. If the real intention is inclusion of petrol under GST, then the Congress' struggle is in favour of exploitation," he tweeted.
Kumaraswamy further said that unlike the national parties, the demand of the Janata Dal (S) is that the price of petrol should be reduced through reduction in huge taxes being slapped by both the Centre and the State.
( With inputs from ANI )
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