Kolkata (West Bengal) [India] : Amid opposition-ruled states constantly drawing criticism from BJP leaders for not reducing excise on fuel prices, Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Kunal Ghosh on Saturday accused the BJP of indulging in “cheap politics” and said that the Centre should reduce base prices and restructure taxation. “Centre takes more tax-share than the state can afford to compensate the deficit of BJP-ruled states,” Ghosh alleged while speaking to ANI here today. “BJP is doing cheap politics. They should reduce base prices and restructure taxation,” he said while adding that the non-BJP states don’t even get their original dues. Ghosh’s remarks came after the Government of India, on the eve of Diwali, had announced reduction of central excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 respectively. As per the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, following the reduction, 23 states/UTs also undertook a commensurate reduction of VAT on Petrol and Diesel to give relief to consumers. However, there are 13 States/UTs which have not undertaken any reduction in VAT in Petrol and Diesel. These are Maharashtra, NCT of Delhi, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Andaman and Nicobar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Punjab and Rajasthan. As per the ministry, the most reduction in the Petrol prices has been in UT of Ladakh, followed by Karnataka and Puducherry. The prices of petrol in these UTs/states have come down by Rs 13.43, Rs 13.35 and Rs12.85, respectively, it stated. According to the ministry, for Diesel, the most reduction has been undertaken by UT of Ladakh, leading to price coming down by Rs 19.61 per litre there, followed by Karnataka and Puducherry.
