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Eight Opposition Parties Protest Non-Payment Of GST Dues, Congress Not Invited

Leaders from the TMC, TRS, RJD, AAP, DMK, SP, NCP and Shiv Sena took part in the protest.

A cardboard cut-out of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Photographer: Anindito Mukherjee/Bloomberg)
A cardboard cut-out of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Photographer: Anindito Mukherjee/Bloomberg)

The leaders of eight opposition parties held a protest in the Parliament complex against the government on Thursday, demanding Goods and Services Tax dues. Congress leaders were absent from the protest.

After the protest addressing a press briefing, Trinamool Congress MP and national spokesperson Derek O'Brien said the largest opposition party was not invited for the agitation.

Leaders from the TMC, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Aam Aadmi Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Samajwadi Party, Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena took part in the protest.

"It is increasingly becoming clear to us that in Parliament, the regional parties are finding it easier to coordinate with each other to strategise. Congress can no longer decide the subject and then the dosage of opposition strategy. They cannot do something in the states and seek support in Parliament," O'Brien said.

The protest that lasted for around 15 minutes saw leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, Supriya Sule, Manoj Jha, Sanjay Singh among others holding banners and thalis to show what the Centre paid the states as GST dues.