The AIADMK coordinator, O. Panneerselvam, on Wednesday urged Chief Minister M.K.Stalin to hold discussion with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other Chief Ministers to bring petrol, diesel and other petroleum products under the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax.
In a statement, he referred to reported recent observations of the Union Minister that if Tamil Nadu’s Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan agreed, she would have the matter included in the agenda for the GST Council’s meeting. He also mentioned that in the last one year, the net increase in the price of petrol per litre was ₹17.68. This was after the reduction in the per litre price by the State government to the extent of ₹3 and by the Centre, ₹5.
As for diesel, the AIADMK leader, who recalled that the DMK, in its manifesto for the 2021 Assembly election, had assured people that in the event of capturing power, it would decrease the prices of petrol and diesel by ₹5 and ₹ 4 per litre respectively, pointed out that the DMK regime had not lowered the diesel price even by a paise whereas the Central government had reduced it by ₹10 per litre. So, the net increase in the price in the last one year was ₹14.29 per litre.
Mr. Panneerselvam also recounted how Mr. Stalin, as Leader of Opposition in April 2018, had supported the coverage of petroleum products under the GST and the DMK, two months later, submitted a cut motion in the Assembly. A few months ago, the DMK’s treasurer and Parliamentary party leader, T.R. Baalu had also supported the move and noted that the State Finance Minister’s opposition did not reflect the party’s position. This had only shown that the DMK and the Central government were on the same page on the issue, Mr. Panneerselvam said, adding that if petrol and diesel had been brought under the GST, there would be price reduction to the tune of ₹25 to ₹ 30 per litre.
