Over 6820 petro outlets go dry as Petrol Dealers Association started today 48 hours strike in Rajasthan. Petrol stations wore deserted look, and the buyers were seen pulling their two wheelers at many places near the petrol pumps in the city.

Rajasthan Petrol Dealers Association (RPDA) went on 48 hours strike from Sunday morning at 6 am, pressing for its demand to reduce VAT rate and increase dealers’ commission in the state.
RPDA has announced a “No Purchase No Sale” strike for the next 48 hours, its President Rajendra Singh Bhati said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised that the BJP government would reduce the prices of petrol, but no such things have happened. Over 33 per cent of dealers of our trade association are on the verge of shutting down. Rajasthan has the highest VAT on petrol. So it is needed to reduce the prices of petrol in the state which are at par with the prices in other states,” said Bhati.
“We have been demanding for the last one year, neither the previous government could address our demands except setting a high power committee nor the present Bhajan Lal Government in the state,” added he.
“If our demands are not met in 48 hours by the government, the dealers would come on street and walk up to the CMO to press for our demands,” Bhati said.
Meanwhile, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Asho Gehlot on his WhatsApp group commented, “Today the strike of all petrol pumps in the state is the real truth of the hollow guarantees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. To mislead the public, the Prime Minister lied to the public that he had given a guarantee of reducing the prices of petrol and diesel in Rajasthan as soon as he won the elections.”

“The public trusted him and voted for him. Now the public is neither getting cheap petrol and diesel nor the benefits of the public welfare schemes of the Congress government. The strike at petrol pumps is causing inconvenience to the public and pump dealers,” he said.

“The Central and state governments should immediately announce price reduction under the PM’s guarantee. The public will no longer fall into this trap and will give a befitting reply to the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections,” he added.

Rajasthan Minister of State Food and Civil Supply Sumit Godara was not available for comments on the strike when contacted on his mobile.