A large number of Delhi Congress workers held a dharna outside the Delhi Secretariat, demanding the Delhi Government to reduce  ‘Value Added Tax’ (VAT) on petrol and diesel.

Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar said that despite many State Governments, including Punjab, reducing VAT on petroleum products following a nominal reduction on excise duty by the Centre, the Delhi Government has not followed the suit, though Chief Minister Arvind had toured  poll-bound Punjab and promised to ‘replicate’ the “Delhi model of development” there.

Kumar said “If Kejriwal is ready to implement the Delhi model of development in Punjab then why cannot he implement the idea of reducing oil prices in Delhi as done by the Punjab Government. “

The protesting Congress workers shouted slogans such as “Petrol Diesel par VAT kam karo-kam karo”, “Jhoot-Loot ki Sarkar Nahi Chalegi- Nahi Chalegi” etc.

“The Delhi Government had collected over Rs 25,000 crore on VAT from petroleum products in last seven years, but has spent hardly any money on Delhiites,” he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal often claims that ‘he is the son of Delhi’, and this is an apt opportunity for him to prove his ‘Delhi’ credentials, and provide relief to the people by reducing the oil prices, which will automatically bring down the prices of all the essential commodities, he added.

 Addressing the Congress workers, Kumar said that the Arvind Government should cut the petrol and diesel prices by Rs 10 and Rs 5 respectively. 

“Delhiites have been finding it tough to overcome financial difficulty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic destruction, unemployment and soaring prices of essential commodities as CM Arvind’s ‘Delhi model of development’ was a flop show,” he added.