Amit Mitra hits back at Sitharaman on bringing petrol, diesel under GST

West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra said that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cannot put the onus on somebody else as she chairs the council. He countered Sitharaman on her comment that it was for the states and the GST Council to decide on bringing petrol and diesel under the ambit of GST.

Kolkata: In a bid to counter Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement that it was for the States’ and GST Council to take a call on bringing petrol and petroleum products under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST), West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra said on Monday that she cannot put the onus on States.

“She is saying this is something the GST Council is deciding. That's a collective body led by the Centre. The honourable Finance Minister chairs the GST Council. So she cannot put it on somebody else," Mitra said in a press conference after the presentation of State Budget.

He also asked the finance minister to bring the subject on the GST Council’s agenda and discuss it in a federalist polity.

The GST Council is an apex body on matters related to GST and comprises of the Centre and States. The Union Finance Minister acts as the Council’s Chairperson.

Responding to ETV Bharat's question on Sunday, Sitharaman had said that it was up to the states and the GST Council to take a call as to when they want to bring petrol and diesel within the ambit of the indirect tax regime.