GUWAHATI: The Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) has demanded immediate withdrawal of the Nagaland government’s decision to impose COVID-19 cess on diesel and petrol, saying that the move was uncalled for, especially at a time of crisis owing to the lockdown.
“When all economic activities have been affected and people are facing great difficulties, raising the price of diesel and petrol at this juncture is very shocking and disturbing. Whatever explanation the government is trying to give the public, it can never justify such a heartless deed,” a statement issued by K.Ghokheto Chophy, vice president and co convener of the public action committee, NCD, said on Saturday.
The Nagaland government had imposed a COVID-19 cess of Rs 5 per litre on diesel and Rs 6 per litre on petrol and other motor spirits through a notification issued on April 28, 2020.
“NCD calls for shutting down of all petrol pumps and appeals to petrol pump owners to express their solidarity to the public in order to show resentment to the state government for as long as the diesel and petrol are sold at the hiked rates all essential commodities will be sold at high rates,” the statement said.
“We demand withdrawal of this decision immediately. The fact that every organisation in the state has come out against such a reckless decision proves that the move is very wrongly timed. International oil prices too have slumped. There is also no shortage of funds in the state as of now as the Centre has granted a generous amount to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic,” it added.
Nagaland is the first state to impose a COVID-specific cess, even as Assam recently increased taxes on petrol and diesel to cover up for losses owing to the lockdown, while Meghalaya imposed a sales tax surcharge on motor spirit.