National News
TN CM, FM blame Centre for fuel price hike

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Thursday blamed the BJP-led central government for hiking the petrol and diesel prices.
Speaking in the state Assembly, Stalin said as the excise duty has to be shared with the state, the Central government reduced that while hiking the cesses and surcharges which are not shared with the states.
The two Ministers were responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call on Wednesday to states to reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel “in the spirit of cooperative federalism”.
Modi on Wednesday lit the fuse citing the Central government reducing petrol and diesel prices by Rs 5/litre and Rs 10/litre, respectively, while many states have not followed suit.
Stalin said hiking the cesses and surcharges the Central government increased the burden on the common man while earning for itself lakhs of crore of rupees.
As per the figures of Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), the total contribution of the petroleum sector to the central exchequer galloped from Rs 172,065 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 419,884 crore in 2020-21 and for the nine month period in FY22, it was Rs 310,155 crore.
On the other hand, the state’s revenue went up from Rs 160,554 crore in FY15 to Rs 217,650 crore in FY21 and Rs 207,658 crore for the nine month period in FY22.
“While both, the Central and the state governments, say that they get the revenue for investments in infrastructure, the PPAC figures show that the Central government has further leeway to reduce the rates,” an industry official told IANS on the condition of anonymity.
According to Stalin, owing to some state elections, the central government reduced the oil prices and after winning the polls, the prices were hiked fast.
Meanwhile Rajan urged the Centre to remove cesses and surcharges on petrol and diesel revert to the 2014 rates, an act which is fair and simple.
“We have repeatedly urged the Union government to reduce the cesses and surcharges being levied and merge them with the basic tax rates so that states get their rightful share from the proceeds of the Union taxes,” Rajan said.
According to Rajan, since Tamil Nadu levies ‘ad valorem’ taxes which are applied after Central taxes, this move by the Centre will cause an additional loss of about Rs 1,050 crore in annual revenue to the state.
“Given that the Union Government’s taxes continue to be exorbitant, it is neither fair nor feasible for the State Government to further reduce taxes.”
He hoped that the Central government would heed to this reasonable request in the “true spirit of cooperative federalism”.
He said the Centre’s levies on petrol have gone up substantially in the past seven years since Modi took charge for the first time in 2014.
Listing out the basic points and the tax rates on petrol and diesel, Rajan said on August 1, 2014, the basic price was Rs 48.55 per litre for petrol and Rs.47.27 per litre for diesel.
On November 4, 2021, the basic price of petrol was Rs 48.36 per litre while that of diesel was Rs 49.69 per litre.
On August 1, 2014, the Centre’s taxes were Rs 9.48 per litre on petrol and Rs 3.57 per litre on diesel. At that time, the state government taxes were at Rs 15.67 per litre on petrol and Rs 10.25 per litre on diesel.
“Prior to the reduction of taxes on petrol and diesel by Union Government, the levy of tax, including cesses and surcharges by Union Government on petrol was Rs 32.90 per litre and Rs 31.80 per litre on diesel,” he said.
“This has been reduced to Rs 27.90 per litre for petrol and Rs 21.80 per litre for diesel after the cut. So, when compared to 2014 (when basic price was roughly the same), the Union government still levies an additional tax of Rs 18.42 per litre for petrol (an increase of roughly 200 per cent) and Rs 18.23 per litre for diesel (an increase of over 500 per cent) compared to the taxes in effect when it took office in 2014.
“Though the revenue to the Union government has increased manifold, there has not been a matching increase in the revenues to States. This is because the Union government has increased the cess and surcharge on petrol and diesel while reducing the basic excise duty that is shareable with the states.
“In 2020-21, the revenue to the Union government from levies on petrol and diesel was Rs 3,89,622 crore which was 63 per cent higher than the revenue of Rs 2,39,452 crore in 2019-20. On the other hand, the government of Tamil Nadu in 2020-21 received only Rs 837.75 crore as share of the tax devolution from the Union Excise Duties on petrol and diesel as against the Rs 1,163.13 crore received in 2019-20,” the Minister added.
According to Rajan, after the advent of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, the states have lost substantial powers to levy their own taxes and raise revenue.
“Further, the GST compensation regime comes to an end on June 30 and most states including Tamil Nadu have already requested the compensation to be extended considering the strain caused by the pandemic on state finances. However, there is no clarity from the Union government on whether the compensation will continue or not after June 30.”
On bringing petrol and diesel under the GST regime, Rajan had earlier said it can be done provided the Central government scraps the cess and surcharge levied on them.
On the other hand, AIADMK’s late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa was a strong advocate for changing the fuel pricing formula.
She had argued that the fuel rates should be determined based on import costs and refining charges and rates of domestic crude oil and the refining charges for the same instead of basing it on trade parity Price.
National News
Shiv Sena(UBT) questions govt on India-Pak ceasefire, raises finger at Trump’s role

Mumbai, May 12: The Shiv Sena(UBT) has strongly expressed displeasure over the US President Donald Trump’s ‘intervention’ in the India-Pakistan conflict and his announcement of a ceasefire.
In a scathing editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the Shiv Sena(UBT) asked, “Who gave the President authority? Did President Trump buy India’s sovereignty? In exchange for what? Exactly, “What deal was made? The country must know.”
“The Indian Army and Air Force have foiled the drones and missiles launched by Pakistan against India. They have given a befitting reply to the Pakistanis, but while doing all this, the exact whereabouts of the six terrorists who carried out the Pahalgam attack have not been traced. The trigger for the India-Pak conflict was the killing of 26 innocent people by six terrorists. But President Trump has poured water. President Trump wants peace to prevail between India and Pakistan. He is not Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, or Nelson Mandela. He is a businessman. The ruling businessmen of India have joined hands with the businessmen of America. President Trump has not stopped the Israel-Palestine war. By directly supporting Israel, he watches the deaths of the people of Gaza and preaches peace to India,” said the editorial.
“India is a sovereign and independent nation. No outside country has the right to interfere in our nation, but US President Trump has intervened in the India-Pakistan conflict, and India has accepted Trump’s ceasefire proposal. Trump announced on his ‘X’ account that India has accepted the ceasefire. Till then, the people of India and the Indian Army were not aware of this ceasefire. Who gave President Trump this authority?” asked the Shiv Sena(UBT) in the editorial.
“According to the Simla Agreement signed between the two nations after the 1971 Indo-Pak war, a third nation was not allowed to intervene in the conflict between the two nations. However, now the Prime Minister of India has violated the Simla Agreement. India succumbed to Trump’s pressure and ratified the ceasefire, but was ‘Operation Sindoor’ or Pakistan’s revenge completed? The country has not received an answer to this,” said the editorial.
“Twelve innocent civilians were killed in the Pakistani attack in Poonch-Rajouri. What was their mistake? Prime Minister Modi was so eager that amid the conflict between India and Pakistan, there was no turning back. Just as Modi’s eagerness was generating new energy in the country and the army, President Trump struck a deal. Seven Indian soldiers died in the Pakistani attack. One of them is Murali Naik from Mumbai, and this young martyr is only 23 years old. Murali Naik and Dinesh Sharma died while responding to Pakistani firing in the Uri sector. Dinesh Sharma is also a young soldier. He fought with Pakistan in the Poonch sector. He showed unparalleled bravery for the country and made the supreme sacrifice of his life to protect Mother India. Thousands of such Dinesh Sharmas and Murali Naiks are fighting on the Indian border and are taking bullets in their chests. Murali Naik’s parents live in a slum in Ghatkopar. They work hard to run their household. The only son of Mother India, he was martyred while fighting on the country’s border to protect it. Murali’s father said, “I am proud that my son has come to serve the country,” but in the end, he will be sad that his stomach has been emptied. Those who have been swept up in the political frenzy of war should remember this,” said the editorial.
“Those who have been charged up due to the political frenzy of war have never sacrificed for the country, nor have they shown any bravery, but the propaganda is going on as if this war is being fought by the Bharatiya Janata Party and its own people. The government has closed down news agencies and a few channels. Even after the ceasefire game has started, the Defence Minister is raking up Operation Sindoor. However, the basic questions still remain that is, how did those six terrorists come and how did they disappear? Why was their whereabouts not known? These questions will be asked. Seven terrorists of the terrorist organisation. Jaish-e-Mohammed, who tried to infiltrate into India from the Samba sector in Jammu on Thursday midnight, were killed by the brave jawans of the Border Security Force. These same soldiers destroyed the outpost on the Pakistani border. This is commendable and every Indian citizen should know,” said the editorial.
“Pakistan is standing firm, and the Pakistani Prime Minister has rubbed salt in the wounds of 26 sisters who were left destitute in the Pahalgam attack by claiming that ‘we won the war’. While all this is happening, the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, and Home Minister are nowhere to be seen. Before the war started, Home Minister Amit Shah had said in Parliament that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a part of India. We will even give our lives for it, but when the Indian Army moved forward to take Kashmir, Modi-Shah simply accepted the ceasefire and surrendered to President Trump. Have the sacrifices of seven soldiers in the conflict with Pakistan gone in vain?” asked the Shiv Sena (UBT).
“One should be proud of the action. If the infiltration of seven Jaish terrorists on the Indian border is stopped and they are killed, then how were the terrorists who entered the tourist spot of Pahalgam and attacked indiscriminately allowed to enter? How were they left free? How were they allowed to wipe the vermilion of 26 sisters, and what happened to them after doing this? These questions arise,” said the editorial.
National News
India and Pakistan to stop all firing and military action: MEA

New Delhi, May 10: A few minutes after US President Donald Trump announced a “full and immediate ceasefire” between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 PM Indian Standard Time, on Saturday.
“The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 1535 hrs earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hrs Indian Standard Time today,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a short media briefing.
“Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Director General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours,” the Foreign Secretary added.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced a “full and immediate ceasefire” between India and Pakistan without sharing any details of the negotiations or the ceasefire.
US Secretary of State Rubio also said in a State Department statement that he and Vice-President J D Vance conducted the ceasefire negotiations.
“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.
“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.
Secretary of State Rubio said in a separate statement: “Over the past 48 hours, Vice President Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.
“I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace,” he stated.
National News
Trump says India and Pakistan ‘agree to full and immediate ceasefire’

Donald Trump says “India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire”.
In a post on social media platform Truth Social, the US President says: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.
“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
We have not heard this from either India or Pakistan, stay with us for the latest developments.
Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect, Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar says.
He adds: “Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!”
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