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DMK stages protest against increasing fuel price, demands TN CM reduce state levy

Stalin said even if prices of crude oil decreased in the global market there was no corresponding reduction in domestic rates.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) staged a protest across Tamil Nadu against the increasing fuel prices and demanded the Union government immediately roll back the price hike. Mentioning that former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ex DMK chief Kalaignar Karunanidhi reduced state levy on petrol prices twice in 2006-2011, party president Stalin demanded CM Edappadi Palaniswami announce a state tax cut in fuel prices as part of poll assurance.

The taxation by state and Central governments was the reason behind the spiralling rise in the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas, Stalin said in his campaign for Assembly elections likely in April in Erode district.

Raising slogans against the Union government and seeking a rollback of the increase, Stalin said Chief Minister K Palaniswami increased the state levy while late party patriarch and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had reduced it twice during the DMK’s 2006-11 rule.

The DMK chief wanted Palaniswami to announce a cut in state tax on fuel, “as part of your poll assurances.”

Even if prices of crude oil decreased in the global market there was no corresponding reduction in domestic rates and “this is Modi’s government,” he said.

Senior leaders including Duraimurugan and T R Baalu, district secretaries, MLAs, MPs led the protests in various places of the state. LPG cylinders were garlanded as if paying floral tributes to mourn the dead, at a protest here led by party MP Dayanidhi Maran.

Elsewhere, a two-wheeler was brought on a bullock cart to symbolise the rise in petrol price and a party man carried a cylinder on his head here to condemn the increase in price.

Party workers raised slogans demanding that the Centre and state government take steps for an immediate rollback in the fuel prices.

While petrol prices were Rs 90 plus per litre in key cities of India, some states including poll-bound West Bengal and Assam have reduced taxes to facilitate a cut in retail fuel prices.

Source: The News Minute