TMC govt only interested in giving relief to tipplers, it should instead slash VAT on fuel: Bengal BJP chief

The West Bengal government ''should immediately reduce the value added tax it charges on petrol and diesel'' as has been done by many states, some of them ruled by opposition Congress, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said on Saturday.

Majumdar, who was addressing a meeting in Bankura district, said the TMC government is ''only interested in giving relief to tipplers by reducing the price of liquor''.

The Centre has slashed the excise duty on petrol and diesel over a month back, but the Mamata Banerjee-led government failed to follow suit, he stated.

''In some states, the government brought down the price of fuel by Rs 12. Many Congress-ruled states have also slashed VAT. But the West Bengal government is silent on the matter, thus providing no relief to common man," he said.

Wondering why TMC legislator Madan Mitra, who rode a bullock cart on Kolkata roads during an anti-NDA protest on fuel price hike in September, isn't speaking up now, Majumdar said, ''This state government is only interested in giving relief to alcoholics.

''The TMC government slogan should ideally be 'Duare Mod' (alcohol at doorsteps),'' he said, taking a dig at the ruling dispensation's 'Duare Sarkar' (government at doorsteps) initiative, under which it registers names of people for doling out benefits of state-funded schemes.

The state has showed its priorities by allowing its breweries to manufacture inexpensive alcohol-based liquor, he alleged. ''It isn't concerned about checking crimes triggered by alcoholism,'' Majumdar claimed.

Prices of India Made Foreign Liquor have recently dipped in Bengal. The BJP leader further said that the TMC government, instead of naming its portal 'Egiye Bangla', should rechristen it to 'Lojjar Bangla' (Bengal of shame) as the ''recent state of affairs has made us hang our heads in shame''.

''SSC appointments were made just twice in 10 years and one case after another gets filed in the court. So many irregularities have been unearthed. Isn't it a matter of shame?'' he added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)