Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Sunday alleged Narendra Modi government was being run like a profiteering company rather than being an elected government.
Addressing a ‘Badlaav (change) Rally’ at Samalkha in Panipat on Sunday, Surjewala said common man was being fleeced by the Modi government to fill up the coffers of the government.
Referring to petro hike, the Congress leader who represents Kaithal segment in Haryana Assembly said Rs 11 lakh Crore fuel loot has punctured a hole in the budget of common man. On 16 May 2014, when the Congress demitted power, the international crude oil prices were as high as US$108 per barrel in comparison to US$68 the present international prices of crude oil but the petrol prices have increased.
Comparing May 2014 to present rates, Surjewala said that the petrol has risen from Rs 71 to Rs 81.74 per litre and diesel has gone up to Rs 74.17 from Rs 55.49 per litre.
“There is an increase of over Rs 18.70 per litre and Rs 10.74 in price of diesel and petrol in last four-and-half-years,” he added.
Excise duty on petrol and diesel has been increased by 211 per cent and 443 per cent respectively since May 2014. Similarly, Manohar Lal Khattar government has increased Value Added Tax on petrol and diesel from 21.5 per cent to 26.25 per cent and 9.24 per cent to 17.22 per cent respectively, he further added.
Describing the Bharatiya Janata Party governments at state and the Centre as the most anti-farmer governments, Surjewala said they charged Goods and Services Tax on farming products.
He accused the BJP of betraying farmers, youth and poor sections by not honouring its pre-poll promises of providing 50 per cent profit on their farm production costs for their produces, two crore jobs to youth, bringing back Rs 80 lakh Crore black money and putting Rs 15 lakh in each bank account.
Stressing for farmers loan waiver, Surjewala asked the logic for writing off huge amount of loans for a few select industrialists, but not being bothered about the crores of distressed farmers.“The BJP government imposed huge taxes on farmers, thereby increasing farm costs. Fertilisers, pesticides and farm implements earlier attracted zero per cent tax in most states but under the GST, the BJP government imposed huge taxes,” he further added.