Munda against relaxation of sales tax on petro price

Jamshedpur, June 11 (UNI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda today ruled out the demand of opposition Congress to reduce the sales tax on prices of petrol and diesel.

He told reporters at Sonari airport here that his government had no plans to cut down the tax rates on petroleum products.

Echoing the same view of his Bihar counterpart Mr Nitish Kumar, who also announced not to decrease the tax structure on fuel, Mr Munda said ''It'll be of no use to cut down the sales tax to lessen the burden of the common people. It's the UPA government at the Centre, which should initiate action to control the hike of prices of petroleum products.'' Mr Munda also expressed satisfaction over his meeting with Mr Kumar yesterday in Ranchi and said all the vexed issues lying pending with its mother state would be resolved soon.

About the Naxalite menace that plagued not only Jharkhand and Bihar but at least nine states in the country.

''Naxalism has become a national issue now and it should be resolved amicably with the help of the Centre. The Prime minister himself is very keen to resolve the issue. He also convened a meeting of all the Chief Ministers of extremism-hit states to find out a solution to this social menance,'' Mr Munda said.

When pointed out that many BJP leaders and workers were leaving the party to join the Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (JVM), headed by the former BJP leader and the state Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, Mr Munda, who came here to attend some functions, said ''No one is leaving the party and quitting of Mr Marandi from the BJP will have no adverse impact on the party.'' UNI BDG PC LS BST1944