KTR reacts to VAT reduction demand by BJP, asks to scrap cess

Hyderabad: IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Sunday demanded the Narendra Modi-led Central government scrap the cess on fuel, saying this will bring down the prices to 2014 level. He was reacting to the Centre's move to slash the excise duty on petrol and diesel and the subsequent demands by the opposition in the State that the government also cut Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel to ease the burden on common man.

Rama Rao tweeted that crude prices in May 2014 and now in May 2022 are almost the same yet petrol was Rs 70 per litre then and Rs 120 now.

"Telangana VAT has remained unchanged. So what & who caused price rise & who is responsible," he asked.

KTR, as the minister is popularly known, pointed out that special additional excise duty, road and infrastructure cess, agriculture and infrastructure development cess all unilaterally imposed by the Union government are responsible for hike.

"Revenues from above are NOT shared with states If CESS are scrapped, Fuel prices will be at 2014 level," he added.

The Centre on Saturday announced Rs 8 per litre cut in excise duty on petrol and Rs 6 on diesel.

"There was this shopkeeper next to my school who used to hike the prices by 300% during peak season & then just to hoodwink people, slash it by 30% & his cronies would start hailing it as a bumper offer & thank him! Sounds familiar? Who increased the prices in the first place?," asked KTR.

It is not the first time that KTR has targeted the Centre.

On May 15, Hyderabad: State IT Minister KTR has once again targeted the BJP at the Centre and now made satirical tweets on national leaders' visits to the state. Minister KTR reacted to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Telangana and stated that another political tourist came to the state and alleged that they did nothing to Telangana in the last 8 years.

KTR tweeted as "Season of political tourism continues; Ek Aur Tourist Aaj; Aaya, Khaya, Piya, Chal Diya. 8 Saal Mein Kuch Nahi Diya Telangana Ko, Aaj Bhi Wahi Silsila. Wahi Jhumlabaazi Aur Dhokebaazi Living up to its name. B - Bakwaas J - Jhumla P - Party." Earlier, KTR termed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a political tourist. Also Read - KTR urges Indian diaspora to contribute to TS' progress.

It is not new to KTR to slam the BJP on Twitter. Last week, The State IT Minister KT Ramaroa again targeted the BJP but this time specifically the party national president JP Nadda. In his tweet KTR stated "Your own BJP MLA says he was asked to pay a bribe of ₹2,500 Crore to be made CM of Karnataka". He added "Contractors say they have to pay 40% Commission!".

He further added "Even Hindu Mutt seers say they have to pay 30% Commission!". Taking a jibe at JP Nadda, he said "Kuch Kehna Hain? ED, IT, CBI Ke liye Koi Adesh?(Anything to say? Any orders need to be passed to ED, IT and CBI?).

Earlier too he targeted the BJP national president. Reacting to a tweet on JP Nadda that the latter was accused of mammoth 7000 crore scam during his stint as Health Minister and that is why he was removed as Cabinet Minister, KTR tweeted, "How is that possible! He is the first cousin of Raja Harischandra no?". It is not something new to KTR to take target BJP or take a jibe at the party.

KTR trained his guns at the BJP-led Central government over economy, unemployment, hike in LPG cylinder prices.

Taking a jibe at Centre, KTR tweeted, "Amazed at the audacity of NPA Govt & its chieftains who've destroyed economy, led us to highest unemployment in 45 years, highest inflation in 30 years & highest LPG rate in the world! Have been a colossal failure for India/Telangana; yet come & lecture us on administration."

On May 2, KTR once again targeted the Central government over its failure in different fields.

Taking to his Twitter, KTR tweeted the list of amazing NPA's performance. He stated that during the 8 years rule of BJP at the Centre there is shortage of coal. Oxygen shortage during Corona pandemic, Power supply shortage to industries and factories, employment shortage to the youth, shortage of support in villages, shortages in funds for States. He tweeted that all this is because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's lack of vision. It is not first time that KTR has targeted the Centre. Recently, Telangana Rashtra Samithi working president KT Rama Rao has lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government for discrimination against Telangana.

The IT Minister KT Ramarao on April 27, yet again targeted the Central government, now it was the turn of the hike in petrol and diesel and the Cess imposed by the Centre. Taking it to his Twitter handle KTR tweeted "Fuel prices have shot up because of NPA Central govt. Name-calling states for not reducing VAT even though we never increased it; is this the co-operative federalism you're talking about @narendramodi ji?. #Telangana hasn't increased VAT on fuel since 2014 & rounded off only once". In another tweet, he stated that "We don't get 41% of our rightful share because of the Cess imposed by your govt. In the form of Cess, you are looting 11.4% from the state & we are getting only 29.6% for FY23. Please scrap Cess so we can give Petrol at ₹70 & Diesel at ₹60 all over India. One Nation - One Price?". "Of Gujarat, By Gujarat, For Gujarat & To Gujarat – New definition of Modemocracy," KTR tweeted on Friday reacting to the Prime Minister announcing an electric locomotive engine project for Gujarat. "Despite promises made in Parliament, Warangal in Telangana is denied locomotive coach factory. Shame on you NPA Govt," added Rama Rao, who recently termed the NDA government as the "Non-Performing Asset (NPA)" government. Earlier, Telangana State Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar alleged that the Prime Minister did not shy away from "displaying step-motherly treatment" towards Telangana.

He said Modi laid the foundation stone for upgrading the railway workshop at Dahod in Gujarat into a locomotive production factory even as Telangana continued to be denied railway projects. Vinod Kumar said the Centre was not sanctioning any big projects for Telangana, but announcing special sops for States heading for polls. He pointed out that the AP Reorganisation Act says that Indian Railways shall examine the feasibility of establishing a rail coach factory in Telangana and improve rail connectivity, but this was ignored by the Central government.

On another occasion, It Minister KT Rama Rao trained his guns yet again against the Centre. Taking to Twitter, he took a jibe at both Union Minister G Kishan Reddy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the contribution of Centre to the State of Telangana when compared to the other States. Sharing the tweet of G Kishan Reddy and a chart of institutions sanctioned by the Centre to other States and sanctioned to Telangana, KTR tweeted, "Congratulations to Kishan Reddy Ji, Cabinet Minister in NPA Govt on bringing a prestigious national institute to the state", he said.

He tweeted more stating, "Oh wait!! As usual, the PM of Gujarat decided that it should move to Jamnagar The saga of Modi Ji's discrimination against Telangana goes on unabated". In a first, G Kishan Reddy tweeted that "The Ministry of Ayush, Government of India intends to establish Global Cemtre of Traditional Medicine at Hyderabad". He added, "It is my strong belief that the setting up of Global Centre in Hyderabad will benefit the City and the State".

The chart shared by KTR states that 7 Indian Institute of Managments (IIMs) were sanctioned to other states but for Telangana it is 0. It also showed that 7 Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) sanctioned to other states but none sanctioned to Telangana. It showed that 2 Indian Institute of Science and Reseach (IISER) were sanctioned to other states But Telangana has none. The Centre has sanctioned 16 Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) to other states but 0 for Telangana. 4 National Institute of Designed were sanctioned to other states but still 0 for the State of Telangana. 157 Medical Colleges sanctioned to other states but Telangana was left behind with 0. Last but not least, 84 Navodaya Educational Institutes were sanctioned to other States apart from Telangana. Similarly, KTR came down heavily on the BJP and questioned whether the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is above the Law.

KTR responded to a report where VHP threatening to launch a battle against the Delhi police if any action was taken against its activists in connection with Hanuman Jayanthi procession violence in Jahangirpuri. Responding to the report, KTR tweeted whether the VHP is above the Law. Tagging Union Home Minister Amit Shah, KTR questioned, whether Shah would tolerate such outrageous nonsense against the Delhi police. KTR Tweeted, "Are these guys above the law of the land & IPC Home Minister Amit Shah Ji?". In another tweet KTR questioned, "Will you tolerate such outrageous nonsense against Delhi police which reports to you directly?".

It is to mention here that the VHP issued the threat after police registered an FIR against the organisers for taking out the procession without permission and arrested a local VHP leader.