Naveen Government faces heat over hike in VAT on petrol and diesel

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Dec 25: The opposition parties in Odisha are now up in arms against the Naveen Patnaik Government over it announcement for a three percent increase in value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel prices on Wednesday.Opposition parties Congress, BJP, CPI, CPI(M), Samajwadi Party and Samruddha Odisha on Thursday condemned the State government’s decision to hike its rate of VAT on petrol and diesel terming it as “anti-people”.The State Cabinet’s decision to increase VAT by 3 per cent on petrol and diesel has made the per litre price of petrol and diesel shoot up by Rs.1.49 and Rs.1.33.While the reduction in prices of petrol and diesel in the recent past had brought cheers to consumers in Odisha, the three percent hike in the rate of VAT on petrol and diesel will again put the people in great difficulty as it would lead to increase in prices of essential commodities, the opposition parties said.Addressing a press conference, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan demanded immediate roll back the VAT hike on petrol and diesel.Dubbing the VAT hike as Naveen Patnaik Government’s a New Year gift for the people, Harichandan said that the government will face the people’s anger if it fails to roll back the hike.BJP announced to organize statewide protests against the increase of VAT on petrol and diesel on Friday.The party will also organise a rally in Bhubaneswar.While the Centre has been reducing the price of petrol and diesel, the BJD government has increased the rate of VAT putting the people of the State in trouble, said BJP state unit president K.V.Singh Deo.Meanwhile, protest demonstrations demanding the withdrawal of the government’s decision was staged by CPI and Samajwadi Party.Holding banners and placards, the activists of the two parties staged separate demonstrations and condemned the State government’s decision.