Free vaccines come from taxes on petroleum products: Union Minister

Guwahati: Claiming that mineral water costs just as much as petrol and diesel, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameshwar Teli said that the hike in petrol prices had funded the free vaccines distributed by the Center to the states during the pandemic.

"Petrol is not costly, the Centre and states have imposed taxes on petrol. You have received Covid-19 vaccines free of cost. Wherefrom the money for Covid-19 vaccines will come from? You haven't paid for vaccines. The cost of the vaccines has come from these taxes," Teli said in Guwahati. He is a Lok Sabha Member from Dibrughar in Assam.

"Making a comparison between branded packaged water and petrol, Teli said, "If you want to drink Himalayan water, then you have to pay Rs 100 for one bottle. When crude oil price will rise in the international market then petrol, diesel prices will automatically hike."

As petrol prices have crossed the ₹100 mark in parts of the country, Teli claimed that it was reflecting the VAT added by particular state governments. Congress-ruled Rajasthan had added extra VAT to petroleum prices and we're refusing to lower it thinking that the high price would cause people to turn against the BJP, the minister alleged.