SAD MLA Daljit Singh Cheema addressing media during press conference at SAD Party Office in Sector 28 of Chandigarh on Saturday, November 14 2015. Express Photo *** Local Caption *** SAD MLA Daljit Singh Cheema addressing media during press conference at SAD Party Office in Sector 28 of Chandigarh on Saturday, November 14 2015. Express Photo

Shiromani Akali Dal Monday announced too hold protests in Punjab on July 7 seeking rollback of of the hike in prices of petrol and diesel

Party senior vice president and spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said that “due to taxes imposed by the central and the state governments, price of petrol and diesel doubles upon reaching the consumers.”

“Indian Oil Corporation delivers diesel to petrol pumps at Rs 39.21 per litre, which does not include VAT and excise duty. When this diesel reaches consumers after addition of both these, its price comes to Rs 80 per litre,”Cheema said.

“Punjab government has imposed 35.12 per cent VAT on petrol whereas in Haryana this is 20.25, in Himachal Pradesh 24.43 per cent, and in Chandigarh 19.76 per cent. On diesel, Punjab has imposed 13.74 per cent VAT, while in Delhi it is 30 per cent, in Haryana it is 17.22 per cent and in Himachal Pradesh it is 14.38 per cent only,” he said, adding the party will urge the state and the central government to reduce the taxes to bring down the fuel price.

Cheema said that Punjab government has also deleted lakhs of Blue ration cards of the poor only to appease Congress leaders. In the protests on July 7, it will be demanded that these blue cards should be revived immediately so that poor families do not face more problems,”he said.