The Opposition Congress on Tuesday intensified its agitation in opposition to the state authorities’s proposal to introduce ₹2 cess on petroleum merchandise and clashed with the police at a number of locations throughout the state.
Police fired water cannons and tear gasoline shells in Ernakulam after employees tried to interrupt the cordon and enter the district collectorate. Many employees and policemen had been injured within the melee. In Kottayam district, Congress president Nattakom Suresh sustained accidents after a conflict with police. Later, the district unit president alleged that the police pelted stones and attacked him with none provocation. Related protests had been reported from Thirssur, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.
4 legislators of the United Democratic Entrance — Congress MLAs Mathew Kuzalnadan, C R Mahesh, Shafi Parambhil and Muslim League MLA Najeeb Kanthapuram — are on an indefinite quick outdoors the meeting since Saturday. “It’s the worst-ever funds within the historical past of the state. The ruling CPI(M) all the time speak in opposition to cess and tax burden, nevertheless it imposed an enormous burden on individuals. Individuals are pressured to pay for the poor finance administration of the federal government,” mentioned Shafi Parambhil, additionally Youth Congress state president.
Presenting the state funds on Friday, finance minister Ok N Balagopal proposed a cess on petrol and diesel to gather extra income for welfare pension. The announcement triggered sturdy reactions from a number of events. A bit of the ruling CPI(M), too, expressed severe reservations on placing additional burden on people who find themselves but to return out the ill-effects of pandemic.
Whereas there may be hypothesis that the federal government could scale back the cess to ₹1 to chill frayed tempers, Balagopal has reiterated that the cess is inevitable in opposition to the backdrop of the Centre’s insurance policies and ceiling on borrowing.
“We’ve to seek out extra income in view of the Centre’s unsuitable insurance policies. Cess was launched to proceed welfare pensions for the poor and needy,” he mentioned.
Money-strapped state had proposed cess on gasoline, new autos, liquor and hiked energy and water expenses and authorities charges throughout the board to draw much-needed income placing additional burden on frequent man. The ruling CPI(M) maintained that the hike was inevitable to proceed social safety measures. The Finance Minister will reply to funds discussions on Wednesday.