Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai on Sunday said if the DMK government did not fulfil its electoral promises of reducing fuel prices [petrol by ₹5/litre and diesel by ₹4/litre] and give a subsidy of ₹100 per LPG cylinder within 72 hours, his party would undertake a protest march to the State Secretariat.
“We are not asking for ₹10 to ₹15 more than what you had promised,” he said, hoping that the DMK would not give rise to a situation where it would reduce the price only because of the BJP’s protest. The State government had last year reduced the price of petrol by ₹3/litre.
Responding to State Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan’s question on whether the Centre had asked for permission to raise fuel prices in the past, Mr. Annamalai asked if former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took permission of the DMK before increasing fuel prices every time.
“The State Finance Minister is lying blatantly. Only after the BJP came to power, have we increased the share of taxes to States to 42%. It has been one year since he said they would undertake a study of how many diesel vehicles are in the State. Have you done that? Do you agree that you are lying?,” he asked.
Mr. Annamalai claimed Mr. Thiaga Rajan was acting as if he was the only intelligent person in Tamil Nadu and others were fools.
Pattina Pravesam issue
On the Dharmapuram Pattina Pravesam issue, he said he would go to Mayiladuthurai and meet the Dharmapuram Aadheenam. “If the event is allowed to be held properly, we won’t have to carry the palanquin. But if they again try to sabotage it, we will have to carry the palanquin. We are ready for everything,” he said.
