Cong hits out at TMC;says its stance on bandh 'self-contradictory'

The West Bengal Congress Saturday termed the ruling TMC's stand on the September 10 bandh "self-contradictory" and blamed it for compounding the problem of rising fuel prices by imposing VAT on petrol and diesel.

State Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the steep excise duty imposed by the Centre on petrol and diesel was an "economic disaster" that had made the lives of common people miserable.

On top of that, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government has further compounded the problem by imposing VAT on fuel, he said.

"Our appeal to the TMC is to waive off VAT on petrol and diesel which will help in bringing down fuel prices a bit just like Puducherry and Kerala," he told reporters.

Asked about the state government's circular asking its employees not to abstain from duty on Monday-- the day of the nationwide shutdown-- Chowdhury said, "This shows their self-contradictory stance."