The Congress party has demanded from the ruling BJP government in the State to reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) and to remove the Cess from the Petrol and Diesel in the State Budget to be presented in Chhattisgarh Assembly on Saturday.
The hike in petroleum prices had also increased the prices of essential commodities, the party has pointed out.
Addressing a press conference former Congress legislator and Spokesperson of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CGPCC), Ramesh Varlyani blamed that the Modi government at the Centre and the BJP government of the State were responsible for the price hike in petrol and diesel.
The excise duty of Centre and the VAT of State Govt was responsible for the uncontrolled price rise, he said.
It is unfortunate that even though the prices of crude oil in international market had gone down, the petrol is being sold at `74 and Diesel `70 a litre . The petrol might have been made available at `50 and diesel 40, he said.
Comparing the prices as per crude oil prices during UPA and NDA Government at the Centre the Congress leader said the petroleum prices in UPA Government were much lower.