Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council will have to take a call on the inclusion of petroleum products in its ambit if finance ministers of the states put up the issue on an agenda for discussion.

“The Central government has expressed its intent clearly by saying it will put up it into the GST, if the states agree, and let them (the Congress-ruled states demanding it) should come up with petroleum products’ rate for open debate,” Nirmala Sitharaman told a press conference during post-budget interaction here at a seven-star hotel.

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When asked about the Congress-ruled states’ demand for inclusion of petrol, diesel and other products in the GST, she said if any political party wants it, let it raise the issue with the GST Council for ‘khuli charcha’ (open debate) with a price tag on each item.

The Modi Government has reduced the excise duty on petrol and diesel twice, but a few states did not follow suit, she said, adding that the Himachal Pradesh government under Congress raised the fuel prices after winning the election, why was it so?

Similarly, the LPG price for Ujawala beneficiaries was subsidised by Rs 200 per cylinder, she said.

When her attention was drawn to the alleged ED/IT raids in Chattisgarh and the Central government’s “vindictive” politics on the eve of the Congress plenary session beginning from February 24, Sitharaman said, “The investigating agencies like the ED, the IT and the CBI would do huge homework and evidences before making a prima facie case, and when the agencies do not get a complete reply or response, they go for raids. It is not done overnight through a sting operation.”

“It is strange a party (read Congress) whose past president(s) despite all corruption and money mismanagement methods are all out there, they are on bail. That is true, they speak of vindictive politics. Each of the agencies is going there and coming out with tangible evidence. Some of which are seen in Bengal through the media,” she remarked.

“Instead of accusing the Central government for vindictiveness, they should explain to the people in their plenary session why their party leaders are on bail on matters of mismanaging the party funds, personal funds and dynastic funds. So, the Congress party should not speak on corruption at all and bring in the angle of vindictiveness that is shame from the first government, one after another. Every Congress government has come to power and got out of power only on the issues related to corruption,” she jibed.

On Congress party’s allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not give a reply to the Adani group, Sitharaman said the PM always stood his ground, but the Congress just threw the allegations and walked out. They cannot face the facts the PM made.

“They (the Congress) should not walk out in the House, so that they can sit and listen. If they throw allegations, they should do it with substantial evidence,” she added.

On Central government’s lack of cooperation to Rajasthan’s HPCL Oil Refinery coming up in Pachpadra, the FM said they (the Congress) always had ‘political reasons’ to blame the Modi Government.

“Can I ask why the water from Narmada was not allowed in Gujarat by the previous UPA government? Was it not a political reason? Similarly, the PM in his recent visit to Dausa has mentioned the progress in the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project but the Congress finds only politics in it”, she said.