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Updated October 22nd, 2018 at 10:41 IST

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal blames centre, oil companies for petrol pump strike in the National Capital

400 petrol pumps in Delhi called for strike on Monday as a protest against state government's reluctance to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel

Reported by: Narayan R
| Image:self
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On a day when over 400 petrol pumps in the National Capital remain shut, owing to the state government's reluctance to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, instead of addressing the situation, has pinned the blame on the centre and oil companies for the precarious scenario.

Taking to Twitter, the AAP convenor accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and oil companis of threatening the petrol pumps to participate in the shutdown. His message read, 

"BJP has threatened the petrol pumps that they will have to face Income tax raid if they do not participate in the strike. Oil companies have also threatened them of dire consequences if they do not participate in the strike. BJP should stop pestering the people of Delhi, and should stop this hooliganism."

He then followed it up another tweet, wherein he attacked PM Modi and attacked the government of not bringing petrol and diesels into GST. "Since the past four years, PM Modi has been adding irrelevant taxes on petrol and diesel. PM Modi should cut the taxes and give relief to people. We have demanded petrol and diesel to be brought under GST. Then why is the government not doing that?" he added.

The AAP convenor continued his tirade on Twitter by comparing the prices of oil in Delhi and Mumbai. He wrote, "Oil prices lowest in Delhi amongst the four metros. Why aren’t petrol pumps in Mumbai, which has highest prices, on strike? Becoz Mumbai is BJP govt and BJP is behind today’s strike in Delhi. BJP MUST apologize to the people of Delhi."

Earlier this month, the government slashed the prices of petrol and diesel after they had reached an all-time high. Arun Jaitley, after conducting a meeting with Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan, informed that the centre would cut the price of the two commodities by Rs 2.5. The Finance minister also mentioned that he had written to all the states, asking them to also cut the price by Rs 2.5, so that the consumers will get a total relief of Rs 5.

READ: Government Announces Rs 2.5 Cut In Fuel, Ask State Governments To Do The Same

Majority of the states in the country abided by his request, and immediately slashed the price. Though, Delhi was one of the state's which refused to reduce the price.

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Published October 22nd, 2018 at 10:38 IST

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