Nellore: PCC chief Sake Sailajanath lambasts Centre's tax burden on people

Nellore: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Dr Sake Sailajanath criticised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been imposing a huge burden of Central excise duties on the people making prices of essential goods skyrocketing.

The district Congress committee (DCC) organised a meet at Indira Bhavan here on Thursday in connection with the birth anniversary of former chief minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

Sailajanath asked how the present condition can be considered as good days (Acche din) when people are not feeling happy with rising petrol, diesel and gas prices.

The Centre is providing huge sops to the corporates but ignoring problems of the poor. He also criticised that the AP government too is imposing a burden of VAT on the people at Rs 4 on a litre of petrol and diesel and road tax of Rs 1.30.

District Congress president Ch Devakumar Reddy said that the Centre is increasing prices of fuel continuously and questioned the meaning of 'Sabka Saath Sab Ka Vikas' slogan of the Centre when people are not feeling happy. He demanded roll back of central excise duties on fuels.

The DCC president recalled the lowest prices of fuel during the Congress rule in the country when Central excise duty was only Rs 9.48 per litre of petrol and Rs 3.56 on diesel. But now the BJP government is collecting a whopping Rs 33 on petrol and Rs 31.83 on diesel. Consequently, small traders and artisans are struggling to eke out a livelihood, Devakumar Reddy said.

Local leaders U Venkata Rao, Ch Venkata Rao, L Suresh Babu, K Anil Kumar and others were present.