Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday dubbed the "rapid and repeated backbreaking increase" in the excise duty and VAT on petrol and diesel in past as "Jizyah tax" by the Narendra Modi government at the centre and ML Khattar-led government in Haryana. Mr Surjewala made the assertion amid various non-BJP-ruled states refusing to slash the VAT to further lower the fuel prices in the wake of the Centre lowering its excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 respectively with various BJP-ruled states lowering VAT on them.

"The rapid and repeated backbreaking increase in excise duty and State VAT on the two fuels are Jizyah Tax by Modi and Khattar governments," he said in a statement. Jizyah was a tax system in countries governed by Islamic law. "In the first nine months of the year 2021 alone, petrol price was increased by Rs 28 per litre and diesel price by Rs 26 per litre. Reduction in the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 per litre respectively is being tom-tommed as a Diwali gift. This is a clear deception," Surjewala said in a statement.