Cong seeks rollback of VAT increase on petrol in MP

A Congress MLA in Madhya Pradesh today demanded immediate rollback of state government's decision to raise Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol.
"The Chief Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) is spending billions on his branding and festivals in the state. And now to fill the state's coffers, the state has imposed taxes on the people," MLA and former Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh said in a statement.
"Hence the state should immediately roll back its decision to increase VAT on petrol," he said.
The state government has increased VAT on petrol by Re 1 since last midnight.
The MLA also alleged that Chouhan is spending billions on private agencies for his image makeover and asked the government to immediately stop such injudicious expenditure.

Singh further alleged that the economic condition of the state has gone down and the Centre is not providing the state its due as well as assistance for providing relief to farmers, because of which developmental works have been stalled.

He alleged that though the Centre has given assistance to many states, it has "not given a single paisa" to Madhya Pradesh.
The Chief Minister who normally remains vocal on such issues is totally silent because of political compulsions, he said.
"It has amply made clear that prior to 2014, Chouhan was shedding crocodile tears on such issues," Singh remarked.

He also demanded that a white paper on assistance the state had got during nine years of UPA rule and in the last one year of NDA.
Singh said that instead of realising money from the people, the state government should curb the prevailing corruption and stop celebrating festivals using money from the public exchequer.