BJP workers clash with Kolkata police demanding cut in VAT on fuel

Kolkata: A group BJP workers clashed with Kolkata police on Monday (November 8) after they were stopped from protesting to seek a reduction in VAT imposed by the state on fuel.

Several party workers were detained during the scuffle, a police officer said. This comes days after the Centre reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel.

The rally was scheduled to start from the BJP office at Central Avenue to the Metro station in Esplanade. Since morning, the police had put up barricades outside the party office to stop activists from taking out the rally.

When the party workers set out on the march, they were prevented from moving ahead by the police, following which a scuffle ensued between the two sides.

“As and when the BJP decides to take out a rally, COVID norms are cited. A few days ago, however, when the TMC took out similar rallies against the Centre over fuel prices, COVID norms were clearly not applicable. It seems the TMC is afraid of the BJP, and that is why it is trying to stop us from taking out rallies," BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar was quoted as saying by PTI

Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said the party would hold the protest march at any cost.

“Not just the Centre, several other states have slashed taxes to bring down the fuel prices, but the TMC government which pretends to be pro-people is yet to do the same. Their double standard stands exposed,” he said.

Earlier, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh had said that the BJP was indulging in "cheap politics" over the issue. He said that the fuel tax by the Centre is far more than that of states.

"The BJP is indulging in cheap politics over fuel prices as its apathy in stemming the skyrocketing prices of petrol, diesel, and LPG has been exposed. It has slashed excise duty on petrol and diesel a bit, fine! But that is too little, too less," Ghosh had said.