SAD targets Rahul Gandhi over fuel prices in Congress-ruled states like Punjab

Chandigarh, Sep 11 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday asked Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to direct the Punjab government to reduce state taxes on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per liter.

Asking the Gandhi scion to "practice what he preaches", the SAD chief said the Gandhi scion should immediately ask Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to follow the examples of Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan and reduce VAT and surcharge on petrol and diesel.

"Rahul should also tell Punjabis why he has not given this direction till now even though petroleum prices in Punjab are the highest in North India and the third highest in the country," he said.

"Political tamashas" by the Congress would not help people, but the concrete action would, he added.

Further hitting out at the Congress for "doublespeak" on the "sensitive issue", he said the Punjab government was collecting a tax of Rs 23 and Rs 11 per liter on petrol and diesel respectively.

This along with 42 percent central devolution of excise was resulting in an annual tax collection of Rs 5,800 crore from petroleum products, he said.

Since development is at a stop, the state has nothing to show for utilization except unproductive expenditure, he added.

"Surely the government can give relief to the common man as well as the farming community by reducing its share in petrol and diesel prices by Rs 10 per liter", he said.

The SAD president also pointed out that the Punjab chief minister had in the run-up to the 2017 assembly elections promised that the Congress if elected to power, would reduce fuel prices substantially.

Accusing the party of doing "deceitful politics", Badal said it was condemnable that while Gandhi wanted petrol and diesel to be brought under GST, the Congress government in Punjab was refusing to follow his suggestion.

"Rahul and the Punjab government should both explain this contradictory stand instead of shedding crocodile tears on petrol and diesel prices," he said.

"This proves that the government is only resorting to sham dharnas on the issue of petroleum prices to shift attention from its own failure to address the issue," he added.