Kolkata, April 27: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “putting the burden” of reducing fuel prices on the states, and accused him of “misleading” the people. Earlier in the day, during a review meeting with the Chief Ministers on Covid, Modi urged states to cut taxes on petroleum products to unburden the citizens from rising prices of petrol and diesel. In this context, he praised BJP-ruled states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh for reducing VAT and questioned the high fuel prices in opposition-governed states Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Kerala. Countering the Prime Minister, Banerjee said “What you have told the people of the country is totally one-sided and misleading. It is incorrect”. Banerjee said her government has borne a cost of Rs 1,500 crore by slashing state taxes on fuel by Re 1 per litre. In addition, the Chief Minister said, her government also announced tax waivers to transporters during the Covid pandemic which entailed a further cost of Rs 2000 crore. “So, in all we have given concession of Rs 3500 crore,” she said. Banerjee regretted that while the Prime Minister praised the BJP-ruled states, he never mentioned Bengal. “But you give these states a lot of money, compared to what you provide us. They get at least 50 percent more than what we receive from the Centre,” she said addressing media persons at the state secretariat Nabanna. The Chief Minister said Bengal has pending dues of Rs 97,000 crores from the Centre. “If you give me half of that amount, I will give a further subsidy of Rs 3000 crores on fuel prices”. Banerjee said her government had asked for a 50:50 share of tax revenue between the Centre and the states. “But the Centre takes away 75 percent of the revenue. Right now, the Centre is taxing 25 percent more than us on petrol and diesel. Since coming to power in 2014, the Modi Government has collected total revenue of Rs 17,31,242 crores till September 2021 from petrol and diesel. “So, you collect the revenue, you raise the taxes, and then you want the states to reduce their share of taxes. How will I run the state then?” she asked. Banerjee also claimed that while her state was being targeted for its increased debt burden, that of the centre has soared to over Rs 150 lakh crores. The chief minister said, “It would have been better if the PM had not talked about the hike in fuel prices during a review meeting on Covid19.” Banerjee also claimed that there was no scope for the chief ministers to speak at the meeting and hence, they couldn’t respond to the Prime Minister’s statement. (UNI)
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