Why was Cong silent when Rajasthan increased VAT on petrol, asks Haryana minister Anil Vij

With the Congress slamming the Haryana government for increasing VAT on diesel and petrol, state Home Minister Anil Vij on Friday asked the main opposition why it didn't raise its voice when its own government in Rajasthan hiked the same rates over a month ago.

"Why doesn't the Congress say Jazia Tax has been imposed when its government in Rajasthan increased prices of petrol and diesel only over a month ago," Vij asked.

The Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan had in March announced a hike in the VAT rates on petrol from 30 per cent to 34 per cent and from 22 per cent to 26 per cent on diesel.

Earlier in the day, the Congress said it was extending its cooperation to the BJP-JJP government in Haryana to fight COVID-19 but would oppose if the ruling dispensation took "anti-people decisions".

The Congress slammed the state government for hiking bus fares by 15 paise per km and increasing VAT on petrol by Re 1 and that on diesel by Rs 1.1 per litre, and also deciding to impose one per cent market fee and one per cent Haryana Rural Development Fund cess on the sale of fruits and vegetables in "mandis".

The party's chief spokesperson, Randeep Singh Surjewala, called it the new "Jazia Tax".

Reacting to this, Vij, who is also the state health minister, said, The coronavirus pandemic has affected the world economy, economy of our country, the individuals. No one has remained unaffected.

We increased bus fares after four years. The expenses of running state transport has increased by 46 per cent and the fare which has been increased is not even 20 per cent, he said.

On the hike in diesel and petrol prices, Vij said that in the all-party meeting on the COVID situation, the government had clearly stated the state's current fiscal position.

The Congress had also agreed that the state should take loans at this juncture, Vij claimed.

"They were told that state has lost nearly Rs 6,000 crore revenue so far ever since the coronavirus-triggered lockdown was put in place. We had to borrow nearly Rs 3,000 crore," he said.

Vij added that there was no intention to burden the common people.

"People very well understand what the current situation is and they are cooperating with us," he said.