West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee urges PM Modi to reduce tax charged by Centre on fuel

KOLKATA: Expressing concern over the rising fuel prices, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to lower the taxes charged by the Centre on petrol and diesel "to check the overall inflation" in the country.

Noting that petrol and diesel prices were hiked eight times since May, of which six times were in June alone, she said the fuel price hike have adversely affected common people and directly impacted the inflation in the country.

"I would like to draw your attention to the government of India policy which has brought great distress among the common people of the country. Shockingly, the retail price of petrol in many states across the county has crossed an unprecedented Rs 100 per litre," she wrote.

"It is my earnest request that the taxes charged by the Centre on petrol and diesel are substantially reduced to give much-needed relief to people and check the overall inflation trend in the country," she added.