Demand in RS to reduce petrol prices

Reduction in the duties of petroleum products dominated the list of demands made by the opposition during the discussion on the Finance Bill in the Rajya Sabha today.

Initiating the discussion in the Rajya Sabha, Prakash Javadekar (BJP) praised Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and complimented him for the concessions announced but said that he should also consider reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel.

"You have accepted so many demands. Accept one more demand and reduce the prices of petrol and diesel," he said. Javadekar said 100 percent taxation on petroleum products was a "loot" and asked how the government can milk one sector particularly when these were no longer luxuries.

The BJP member also demanded implementation of one-rank one-pension scheme and action in the 2G scam which, he said, amounted to Rs 70,000 crore. "Is it compulsion of coalition politics? Now caste card is also being played to defend corruption," Javadekar said.

T Subbamarmi Reddy (Congress) quoted figures of petroleum price hike during the NDA regime and said it was much more than in the UPA regime. He highlighted various proposals of the budget, particularly allocations in the social sector and infrastructure.

Tapan Kumar Sen (CPI-M) said the tax proposal had a bias against the common man as much more has been imposed on him than given. Raising the issue of petroleum price, he said in every one rupee of petrol, 51 paise is in the form of tax. "It needs to be thoroughly reviewed," he said.

Sen said there were alternative avenues for revenues and they should be explored. "Please correct the bias against the aam aadmi (common man)," he added.