Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national spokesperson Raghav Chadha on Thursday welcomed the Delhi government’s move to slash Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel in Delhi by Rs 8.36 per litre and described the move as “Sanjeevani booti”

Chadha said “This step will not only bring a huge relief to the people of Delhi but will also be a big step in boosting economic revival in the national capital”.

Diesel is the lifeblood of Indian economy, the driver of economic growth. Reduction in diesel prices by Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal will act as “sanjeevani booti” in reviving an unconscious economy,” Chadha tweeted.

Chadha slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government, accusing it of adopting “an extortionist approach” and increasing the excise duty on diesel and petrol.

“On the other hand, the BJP led Central Government adopted an extortionist approach and increased Excise Duty on Diesel and Petrol 22 times over 22 continuous days from June 7th 2020 to June 29th 2020. They should take a leaf out of CM Kejriwal’s book and rollback,” he tweeted.

Raghav said that as per the decision taken in the meeting held by the Delhi cabinet on Thursday, the VAT on diesel will be reduced from 30 to 16.75 per cent bringing down diesel price from Rs 82 to Rs 73.64 per litre.

The party also demanded the BJP to decrease the price of petrol by Rs24/lit and diesel by Rs 28/lit. He said that if the BJP does not roll back the increased price of the fuels then it will be proved that the BJP is a heartless, non-empathetic, and cruel political party.

Chadha accused the BJP led Central Government of adopting an extortionist approach, saying that it increased excise duty on diesel and petrol 22times over 22 continuous days from June 7th to June 29th 2020.

“In the month of June 2020 alone the Central Govt has increased Excise Duty on Diesel by Rs.11.14 per litre and that on Petrol by Rs. 9.17 per litre. We demand that at the very least this increase should be rolled back immediately,” Chadha said.

Elaborating it further, he said that from June 7 to 29th June the BJP government has increased the price of diesel 22 times every day for 22 days and for the first time in the history of India the price of diesel became higher than that of the petrol.

“The BJP increased the price of diesel for Rs.11 and for petrol it was Rs.9 from June. If we look at the state governments ruled by the BJP you will see that they have imposed extreme VAT on the people of those states. We demand that the BJP led central government should roll back the hiked price of the diesel," he said.

Raghav further said that the BJP led Central Government has not given us the benefit of decreased oil price of the global market. “Today we are buying the crude oil at the prices of November 2004. Under the BJP regime, the Central government has increased the excise rate nearly three dozen times in the last 6 years and this way they have earned an amount of Rs.20 lakh Crore,” he said.