Tripura: TMC protest against Centre’s decision over price rise, GST hike on essential commodities

The youth wing of the All India Trinamool Congress on Sunday took out a protest procession in Tripura’s capital, Agartala, against the union government’s recent decision to slap Goods and Services Tax (GST) on essential commodities, including products of rice and milk.

Protesters, led by Tripura Pradesh Youth Trinamool Congress president Santanu Saha, chanted anti-Modi slogans and demanded an immediate repeal of the tax on essential food items such as dairy products, puffed and beaten rice.

The addition of GST on these daily essential food items, according to Saha, will add to the financial burden of the common man, particularly the poor, who are already overburdened due to inflation and the post-pandemic crisis.

He said that at present, food items such as milk and rice products like puffed and beaten rice will attract a GST of 5% if they are packed. The burden of rising food prices is likely to be increased by the new GST rates.

The TMC leader threatened to go for massive statewide agitation if their demands are not fulfilled. “The central government’s recent decision on imposing GST on these items is against the poor and to help corporates like Ambani and Adani,” claimed the TMC leader.

The GST Council in its recent meeting decided to go for a rate hike on several daily essential items, including pre-packed and labelled meat (except frozen), fish, curd, paneer, honey, dried leguminous vegetables, wheat and other cereals, wheat or meslin flour, jaggery, puffed rice (muri), all goods and organic manure and coir pith compost, which were previously exempted from GST and will now attract 5% tax.