Panipat (Haryana): Haryana Petroleum Dealers Association(HPDA) has called for a statewide strike on Monday in protest of the union government's recent decision to reduce the central excise duty which the HPDA says has a negative bearing on their revenue. The strike that began at 6 am today (Nov 15) will end at 6 am on Tuesday (Nov 16). The HDPA has exempted the emergency services from the purview of strike.
HPDA also warned private petrol pump operators that non-compliance would draw imposition of Rs 50,000 fine and other stringent measures including social boycott.
"We demand the government to hike our commission and reimburse losses suffered due to a sudden cut in excise duty. Due to the Centre's decision on reducing the price of petrol and diesel, dealers lost a lot. Therefore, we demand the Centre to reimburse our losses," the association's senior state vice president, Palwinder Singh said.
"We have been writing to the Haryana government about our concern but they are not responding to us. If the government does not listen to us, we will hold a strike. We will neither buy nor purchase oil," said another office-bearer of the association.
State president of the HPDA, Sanjeev Chaudhary clarified that emergency services - police, fire brigade, ambulance and army vehicles would be exempted.
Earlier, in a significant decision, the Centre had reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel to bring down the prices of the two petroleum products which had witnessed an upward trend.
The relief to consumers came on the eve of Diwali. The Finance Ministry said that excise duty on petrol will come down by Rs 5 and that on diesel by Rs 10. It urged the states "to commensurately reduce" VAT on petrol and diesel to give relief to consumers.
Following the Centre's suit, many other states have also announced a reduction in Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel.
Also read: 25 states, UTs so far reduced VAT on petrol, diesel: Ministry
