Gehlot Attacks BJP-led Central Govt Over Its Excise Duty Policy

GG News Bureau

Jaipur, 20^th Nov. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot attacked the BJP-led Central Government on Monday for its unfair excise duty policy, claiming that it is cheating both the states and the people of India.

Gehlot argued that the distribution of basic excise duty to the states has been significantly reduced, while the Central Government has introduced new excise duties such as additional excise duties 1, 2, and Cess, which are not shared with the states.

He accused the Central Government of diverting all the funds into its own account, depriving the states of their rightful share.

“The government of India is playing a game. The basic excise duty that is distributed to the states has almost been finished and the new excise duty, including the additional excise duties 1, 2 and Cess, is not being distributed to the states. They are taking all the money into the centre’s account. They are cheating the people of the country,” said Rajasthan CM while speaking to the media.

Comparing BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh with Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot said that the excise duty in Madhya Pradesh is higher than in Rajasthan.

“The excise duty in Madhya Pradesh is higher than in Rajasthan. The prices of petrol and diesel are higher in MP but they will not compare this…They need to bring down the excise duty,” Gehlot asserted.

Further, the Congress leader alleged that “All the BJP leaders, PM Modi, and Union Ministers keep saying almost the same thing all through the day. They will not talk about what we did for the public and what we could not do in the last 5 years.”

Rajasthan will go to the polls on November 25, and the counting of votes will be held on December 3, 2023, along with the other four states – Mizoram, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.

In the 2018 assembly elections, the Congress party emerged victorious with 99 seats, while the BJP secured 73 seats out of the total 200 seats in the House. Following this, Gehlot was sworn in as the Chief Minister with the backing of BSP MLAs and independent legislators.