Punjab: Congress protests against Goods and Services Tax in Amritsar

Congress workers led by Navjot Singh Sidhu held rallies and shouted slogans against the GST.

ANI photo

CHANDIGARH: The Congress workers on Saturday took to streets to protest against the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Amritsar in Punjab. 

Several Congress members including Navjot Singh Sidhu were seen protesting against Centre's implementation of GST across the country.

Congress holds protest against Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Punjab's Amritsar pic.twitter.com/cFFfzLEtQr

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The members, seen with banners, held rallies and reportedly raised slogans against the central government.

On Friday, state Chief Minister Amarinder Singh wrote to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking immediate withdrawal of 5 percent GST on food stuff in containers intended for free distribution to the economically weaker sections of the society.

Dubbing the imposition of this tax as a 'retrograde step', Amarinder stressed on the need to introduce welfare programmes for the economically weaker sections (EWS) at a time when farmers were reeling under debt and committing suicide, underlining the increasing gap between the rich and the poor.

Citing the draft notification on this new tax, the chief minister said such a tax would have the sole effect of the state government being taxed by the Centre for running welfare schemes, as the states would be required to pay CGST on such items.

Seeking Jaitley's personal intervention in the matter, the CM Singh demanded a review of the decision and rollback of the decision in larger public interest, said an official release.

Meanwhile, further details on the protest held by Congress workers on GST is awaited.