New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) The Congress on Wednesday staged a demonstration outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence to protest the VAT Bill that could lead to a hike in prices of petroleum products, tobacco and aerated drinks in the capital.
Nearly 150 protesters from the Congress gathered outside Kejriwal’s Civil Lines residence in north Delhi area around 12.15 p.m. and raised slogans against him and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
“Around 150 protesters are demonstrating outside the chief minister’s house and if needed, they would be detained,” Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Brijendra Singh Yadav told IANS.
The Delhi assembly on Tuesday passed the Delhi Value Added Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, thus enabling the AAP government to regulate tax rates on petroleum products, liquor and aerated drinks.
Currently, VAT on goods under the Fourth Schedule is fixed at 20 percent but the amendment will enable the state government to impose rates ranging from 12.5 percent to 30 percent.