Telangana CM Asks Centre to Withdraw Cesses on Fuel, Announces Protest

Addressing a press conference, CM Rao said that the state would take to street protests against the cesses.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday, 7 November, evening demanded that the Centre withdraw all cesses levied on petrol and diesel.

(Image Courtesy: The News Minute)

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday, 7 November, evening demanded that the Centre withdraw all cesses on petrol and diesel, in an all-out offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, CM Rao also announced that the state would take to street protests against the cesses in fuel prices.

"The Centre has lied on petrol and diesel prices, crude oil prices was $ 105 in 2014 and now it is $83. BJP lied to public saying that prices of petrol and diesel have increased internationally," he added, according to news agency ANI.

Fuel prices have seen repeated hikes over the last few months, though the government reduced the excise duty levied on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 respectively from Thursday, 4 November.

Further, addressing the press conference, the CM also said that Telangana will support the farmers’ protest in north India.

The state BJP unit should answer whether the union government has done anything to support Dalits, Adivasis, farmers or any of the marginalised people, the chief minister also said.

“Yes I am questioning as the Chief Minister and the Party (TRS) president,” CM Rao said.

The CM also claimed that the Centre has refused to take rice grains from Telangana, despite him requesting the Union agriculture minister to resume collection through Food Corporation of India.

"Do not plant rice this farming season on the insistence of the Telangana BJP, because they are playing with farmers’ lives," he added and asked the BJP state leadership to get an order procuring food grains from the state.

(With inputs from ANI.)