Modi Govt waiving corporate loans by levying cess on fuel prices, says KTR

The Modi government was burdening citizens with excessive taxes and cesses, leading to skyrocketing fuel prices, even as crude oil prices in the international market decreased, said KTR.

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Wednesday said the Narendra Modi government was waiving off corporate loans worth Rs.14.5 lakh crore, but refusing to waive off crop loans of Rs.1.5 lakh crore beneficial to crores of farmers in the country. He charged the Centre with preferential treatment to corporates while imposing Rs 30 lakh crore burden on ordinary citizens through cess on fuel prices.

Speaking at the May Day celebrations at Telangana Bhavan on Wednesday, Rama Rao minced no words in criticising the policies of the BJP, particularly regarding corporate loans and fuel prices. “Modi waived off corporate loans of Rs.14.5 lakh crore for corporate companies to benefit the likes of Adanis and Ambanis, while ordinary citizens suffered,” he said, challenging BJP leaders Bandi Sanjay and Kishan Reddy to prove otherwise, offering to resign as an MLA if proven wrong.

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The Modi government was burdening citizens with excessive taxes and cesses, leading to skyrocketing fuel prices, even as crude oil prices in the international market decreased. “The BJP government collected Rs.30 lakh crore as cess from ordinary citizens. When questioned, they claimed that the cess funds were used for construction of national highways where people are burdened with toll taxes again,” he pointed out.

Farmers in the country could have received free power supply for a decade with the corporate loans waived off by the BJP at the Centre.

The BRS working president also lambasted Modi’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly its treatment of migrant workers. “Don’t forget that labourers had a lot of trouble going to their hometowns during COVID-19 lockdown. Modi lacked the basic humane treatment by arranging for their free travel and caused numerous troubles to workers. But the shameless BJP leaders credit him with discovering Covid-19 vaccine and saving the entire world,” he said, challenging BJP leaders to reveal the good work done by the Modi government benefiting farmers and the working class in the last 10 years.

Rama Rao reminded that the Modi government had imposed GST on beedis and textiles, resulting in huge burden on beedi workers and weavers in the country. Stating that if voted to power once again, the BJP would privatise the public sector undertakings and other national assets, he emphasised the need to vote out the Modi government to safeguard the interests of Telangana against external pressures, to prevent diversion of Godavari River water, to protect the reservation system and to stop attempts to make Hyderabad a union territory.

The former Minister also criticised the anti-workers policies of the Congress government in the State. He pointed out that within four months after coming to power, the Revanth Reddy government stopped government orders to weavers and forced some of them to commit suicide. He also held the State government responsible for suicides of around 50 auto-rickshaw drivers by implementing free bus services for women, without taking measures for an alternative livelihood for the former. He vowed to launch a movement against the government on behalf of the working-class especially weavers and auto-rickshaw drivers.

On the occasion, Rama Rao recalled the contributions of the working class to the Telangana movement and later, the State’s development. He paid tributes to the workers on the occasion of May Day, and pledged the party’s commitment to improve their conditions and welfare. He remembered the pioneering efforts of former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao in prioritising workers’ rights and supporting migrant workers during challenging times like COVID-19 lockdown, treating them as partners in the State’s development.