Fuel Pumps In Rajasthan Begin Indefinite Strike Demanding Equalisation Of VAT Rate

The Rajasthan Petroleum Dealers' Association claimed that over 6,700 fuel pumps across the state were taking part in the strike

People throng a petrol pump ahead of pump operators' strike across Rajasthan, in Ajmer.

Petrol filling stations across Rajasthan began an indefinite strike on Friday demanding equalisation of Value Added Tax (VAT) rate on fuel, as is the case in Punjab, the PTI reported. The Rajasthan Petroleum Dealers' Association has called for a strike to protest high VAT rates on fuel in the state. According to the report, the association claimed that over 6,700 fuel pumps across the state were taking part in the strike.

On Wednesday, the petrol pump dealers went on a two-day symbolic strike (Wednesday and Thursday) from 10 am to 6 pm demanding equalisation of VAT rate on petrol and diesel, similar to Punjab. On late last night, pump dealers decided to go on indefinite strike. However, only oil marketing company-operated pumps are open for fuel dispensing.

The association's state president Rajendra Singh Bhati in a statement on Friday said that from 6 am onwards all the petrol pumps in the state will neither make any sale nor buy goods to/from the depot. He said that around 6,700 fuel pumps were participating in this strike.

The strike has caused inconvenience to the common people of the state and long snarls at fuel pumps were seen in Jaipur and other cities.

Earlirer, Sunit Bagai, the association's former chief had said that the VAT in Rajasthan is higher than in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat and people in border areas go to these states to get fuel. "Several petrol pumps in Hanumangarh and other bordering areas in Rajasthan have been shut in the last few years because of losses. People go to neighbouring states for buying petrol and diesel, causing losses to petrol pumps in Rajasthan," he had said.