Trinamool Congress and CPI (M) slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he requested the states to reduce state tax on fuel. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the BJP led central government should first reduce tax before imposing the same on the states.
 

“I have given one rupee off from the tax for which I have given up to Rs 1,500 crore tax on petrol and diesel every month. The state is yet to get at least Rs. 97,000 crore from the central government and after we get the money we might give more tax exemptions,” said Mamata.

Earlier this day Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a virtual meeting with all the Chief Ministers over the fourth wave of the pandemic. During the meeting the Prime Minister urged both BJP and non-BJP ruled states to reduce state tax on petrol and diesel to ease the burden on the common people.
Slamming the Prime Minister, Mamata claimed that the BJP led central government gives more money to BJP ruled states than states ruled by the opposition.
“Since 2014 to September the Central government has earned Rs. 17 lakh 31 thousand crore from petrol and diesel and now he (PM) is asking the states to reduce taxes,” further mentioned the Chief Minister.

Mamata also alleged that the BJP is running an ‘autocratic rule’ in the country and also that no Chief Ministers were allowed to speak in the meeting.
"However, what he did not say was that the Union government is making differential treatment between the BJP-ruled state and the non-BJP state governments in terms of payment of central dues," Banerjee told mediapersons here.

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She also alleged that in the virtual meeting held on Wednesday, the Prime Minister gave a one-sided lecture without giving opportunity to the chief ministers to speak.
She also slammed the Prime Minister for claiming reduction in central excise on petrol and diesel and said that the temporary reduction in central excise is nothing compared to the huge excise amount collected by the Narendra Modi-led government since 2014.

She also criticised the Prime Minister for not agreeing to the proposal of different state governments for 50:50 share of tax on petrol and diesel between the Union and the state governments. But the Union government is having 75 per cent share of that tax and now the Prime Minister is asking the state governments to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel, Banerjee said.

CPI (M) leader Sujan Chakraborty claimed that through the statement that the states should reduce tax on the prices of the petroleum products, BJP is creating ‘disharmony’ in the country.