Hyderabad: BJP causing steep fuel price burden on people says Prof K Nageshwar

Vanasthalipuram : With job cuts and wage cuts rampant, the unprecedented rise in petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices are imposing enormous burden even on the middle class.

The union budget offered no relief to the honest taxpayer, the salaried middle class. The graduates of Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Mahabubnagar should give a befitting reply to the authors of these anti people policies, said Prof K Nageshwar who is contesting as an independent candidate from this constituency.

Participating in an interaction session with voters at ME Reddy Gardens, Vanasthalipuram, organised by Team Nageshwar LB Nagar Committee on Tuesday, the two-term former MLC said that the central excise duties on petrol increased by 350% and on diesel by whopping 894% since 2014, after BJP government assumed office.

The central excise duty on petrol increased from Rs 9.48 in 2014 to Rs 32.98 in February 2021. While the corresponding increase on diesel was Rs 3.56 to Rs 31.83. The central share in the total taxes on petroleum products increased from 14 % in 2014 to 38%, Prof K Nageshwar explained.

Referring to the political economy of the fuel prices, Prof K Nageshwar said that the BJP-led central government collected Rs 2,40,000 crore through tax on fuels from ordinary Indians in the 2019-20 fiscal and handed over tax sops to the corporates to the tune of Rs 1,45,000 crores in September 2019.

Should graduates vote to make petrol Rs100 a liter, he lamented. The State government too is adding to the tax burden, he pointed out.

The MLC elections verdict should reflect the anger and the anguish of civil society, Prof K Nageshwar exhorted.