Chandigarh, July 20 (IANS): Petrol pump dealers across Haryana began an indefinite strike on Monday, greatly inconveniencing motorists.

Over 2,300 petrol pump dealers went on strike to protest against the recent increase in VAT (value added tax) on diesel by the Haryana government.

People could get petrol and diesel only at a few filling stations, most of which are run by the oil companies themselves or by state government agencies.

Motorists in major cities and towns like Gurgaon, Faridabad, Panchkula, Panipat, Rohtak, Hisar and Ambala were the worst hit.

"All petrol pump dealers have gone on strike from today (Monday). We had announced the strike on July 17 but the government did not listen to our demands. Our strike is indefinite," said Palwinder Singh Oberoi, senior vice president of the Haryana petroleum dealers association.

He said petrol pump dealers were facing losses due to the recent increase in VAT by the state government.

While the state government claimed that it had brought the tax in uniformity with neighbouring states like Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, the Haryana petrol dealers said earlier the tax used to be lower in Haryana.

The association has said they would only talk to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on this issue.