GST dues: TRS MPs stage dharna in Delhi

HYDERABAD: TRS MPs, along with Parliamentarians from other regional parties, staged a dharna near the Gandhi statue before Parliament on Thursday, demanding that the Centre pay GST compensation to the States immediately. Around 70 MPs of TRS, TMC, DMK, RJD, AAP, NCP, SP and Shiv Sena participated in the dharna, holding empty plates in their hands. The TRS MPs demanded that the GST and IGST dues to Telangana — close to `9,000 crore — be released immediately to the State.

TRS Parliamentary Party leader K Keshava Rao said that the MPs representing non-BJP ruled States took part in the dharna. TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha Nama Nageswara Rao said that the protest was staged to to highlight the injustice being meted out to the States by the Central government. “The Centre, which is supposed to extend help to the States during the pandemic, is not even released the money we are owed,” Nama alleged. He also demanded that the Central government fulfil all the assurances listed in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. It may be recalled that the State had rejected the proposal of the GST Council to raise loans to overcome the shortfall of GST collections. Nama also said that they would give notice for adjournment motion on GST and insist for a debate on the same.