KPCC asks people not to pay fuel cess

Thiruvananthapuram: KPCC president K Sudhakaran has urged people not to pay the Rs 2/litre fuel cess introduced by the LDF government in the budget. "The Congress is ready to protect people if the government is taking action against them for not paying the cess,” he said.The opposition UDF has decided to intensify its protests against the budget proposals after CM Pinarayi Vijayan and finance minister K N Balagopal ruled out any rollback in them. Sudhakaran told the media in New Delhi that the arrogant and adamant stand taken by the chief minister not to reduce the cess despite protests was not acceptable. “The UDF will continue the agitation until the government reviews the decision. Pinarayi Vijayan had, when he was the CPM secretary, had asked people not to pay the tax hike brought in by the then UDF government. We are making the same request to people now, don't pay the increased amount,” he said. tnn