Congress-led 'Bharat Bandh' tomorrow: 10 facts on Opposition's nationwide protest against rising fuel prices

Sep 9 (AZINS) A united Opposition will tomorrow observe 'Bharat Bandh', a nationwide protest called by the Congress against spiralling fuel prices. Most of the opposition parties including the Left, TMC, JD(S), RJD, Samajwadi Party, NCP and DMK have extended support to the bandh.

Opposition parties blame the government's unwillingness to cut excise duty for the high fuel prices and consumer burden.

The opposition Congress, which has called for a nation-wide shut down on Monday over rising fuel prices and depreciation of the rupee, has appealed party workers to maintain peace and not to associate with any violent protests.

It said 21 opposition parties are supporting the Bharat bandh, besides a number of chambers of commerce and traders' associations. Meanwhile, petrol and diesel prices set new records Sunday ahead of the nationwide protests. Petrol price was Sunday raised by 12 paise a litre and diesel by Rs 10 paise per litre, according to the price notification issued by state fuel retailers.

The increase pushed the petrol price in Delhi to Rs 80.50 per litre. Diesel rate touched its highest level of Rs 72.61 a litre. Fuel prices in Delhi are the cheapest among all metros and most state capitals due to lower taxes.

Here are 10 facts on the opposition parties' 'Bharat bandh':

1. Opposition parties in Bihar on Sunday resolved to make tomorrow's 'Bharat Bandh' a "grand success". Opposition leaders from Congress, RJD, HAM(S), Samajwadi Party, NCP held a joint press conference at Sadaquat Ashram here - the Congress' state headquarter - and appealed to the various trade and industry bodies to make the bandh a grand success.

2. The bandh in Bihar will be observed between 9 am to 3 pm during which leaders and workers from opposition parties would hit the streets requesting people to cooperate and support the bandh. The opposition parties will be holding torch light march at 6.30 pm at various places in the state capital in order to make people aware about tomorrow's bandh.

3. Cong-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka is geared up to make 'Bharat Bandh' a success. JD(S), which runs a coalition government with the Congress, has also extended support to the bandh. So has a host of organisations such as Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, KSRTC, BMTC, Ola and Uber Drivers and Owners Association, Private Taxi Owners Association, Tours and Travels Taxi Association, Auto Drivers' Association.

4. The Goa unit of the Congress has said it will not take part in the nation-wide Bandh called by the party on Monday to protest fuel price rise, to avoid inconvenience to local people ahead of the Ganesh festival. State Congress spokesperson Vijay Bhike said here Saturday that the party will not observe the Bandh in Goa, because it will come in the way of people's shopping ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi which is on September 13.

5. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has extended its full support to Congress-led 'Bharat Bandh' and has also appealed to other political parties in Maharashtra to support the protest. Both the Congress and the NCP appealed the Shiv Sena, an ally of the ruling BJP, to support the `Bharat Bandh' against rising prices. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Sunday announced its support to the protest.

6. In Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has refrained from extending support to the bandh.

7. Since mid-August, petrol price has risen by Rs 3.42 a litre and diesel by Rs 3.84 per litre as rupee hit record low against the US dollar, making imports costlier.

8. Almost half of the retail selling price of the two fuels is made up of central and state taxes. According to oil companies, petrol at refinery gate costs around Rs 40.50 a litre and diesel Rs Rs 43. The Centre currently levies a total excise duty of Rs 19.48 per litre of petrol and Rs 15.33 per litre on diesel. On top of this, states levy Value Added Tax (VAT) -- the lowest being in Andaman and Nicobar Islands where 6 per cent sales tax is charged on both the fuels. Mumbai has the highest VAT of 39.12% on petrol, while Telangana levies the highest VAT of 26% on diesel. Delhi charges a VAT of 27% on petrol and 17.24% on diesel.

9. The Central government had raised excise duty on petrol by Rs 11.77 a litre and that on diesel by 13.47 a litre in nine installments between November 2014 and January 2016 to shore up finances as global oil prices fell, but then cut the tax just once in October last year by Rs 2 a litre. This led to its excise collections from petro goods more than doubling in the last four years -- from Rs 99,184 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 2,29,019 crore in 2017-18. States saw their VAT revenue from petro goods rise from Rs 1,37,157 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 1,84,091 crore in 2017-18.

10. Petrol and diesel may soon become cheaper in Punjab and Karnataka, as the Congress leadership has asked the chief ministers of Congress-ruled states to reduce value added tax (VAT) on petroleum products.