Congress fumes at increased VAT, cess on vegetable markets and increased bus fare

CHANDIGARH: Manohar Lal Khattar-Dushyant Chautala-led BJP-JJP government's move of increasing the VAT on petrol and diesel and increase in bus fare in Haryana has left the Congress leaders fuming and they have asked government to justify the move.
While former CM and leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda termed the development as a move which amounts to stabbing in the back of the cash-starved residents of state, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Kumari Selja and AICC communication head Randeep Singh Surjewala termed it as an extortion by government from the people of Haryana who are not even certain about their source of income in the wake of the lockdown.
While jointly addressing media conference with Selja on a digital platform, Surjewala also asked Khattar and Chautala to justify the hike, especially at the time when government has received Rs over 42,000 crore from oil companies as levy in the past five years.
"This amount of Rs over 42,000 crore is a matter of record. Besides this, just a month ago Khattar government while presenting annual layout had claimed the zero tax budget. CM Khattar had even claimed that state has sufficient finances. Where has the money gone? Especially, at the time when people are whole-heartedly contributing towards CM and PM COVID relief fund," said Surjwala.
The increase of petrol and diesel rates and market fee and cess on farmer is more over a forced extortion. People shall never forgive the government, The burden of increase of fuel rates and market fee shall finally fall on the common man, hence this is just forced recovery, said Selja.
Leader of opposition Bhupinder Hooda Hooda has termed the decision of the state government to increase the cess on petrol-diesel, fees on vegetables, fruits and bus fares anti-people.
He said the decisions were completely contrary to the expectations of the people and the suggestions of the opposition.
“Every citizen, including the poor, farmers, shopkeepers, daily-wage earners, workers and businessmen, who were suffering from the economic impact of Corona-induced lockdown, expected relief from the government. All the economic activity has come to a standstill due to the lockdown. Even if the one-and-a-half-month lockdown ends, it will take many months to recover,” he said.