Setting a new precedent of fighting together to safeguard Punjab’s common interests, the Congress and SAD MPs from the State on Wednesday staged a joint protest outside the Parliament over the Centre’s refusal to grant GST exemption for goods required in ‘langar’ at Darbar Sahib.
Akali MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Balwinder Singh Bhunder, along with an MP from Bihar Ranjita Singh, joined the protest against refusal to grant GST exemption, outside the Parliament on the request appeal of Punjab Congress president and Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar.
Jakhar, thanking the Akali parliamentarians and Ranjita for joining the dharna, appealed to all other MPs from Punjab irrespective of their party affiliations that they should also raise their voice against the Central Government’s “stubborn attitude”.
He regretted the insensitivity of the BJP-led Central Government for refusing to understand the sentiments of the Punjabis. “Not just the people living in Punjab, the sanctity of the Darbar Sahib cuts across all the countries and the continents where the Punjabis live,” he said.
“It would have been a nominal amount if it had been exempted, but would have certainly conveyed an important message and respected the sentiments and sensitivities of the people,” said Jakhar while reiterating his appeal to the government and hoped better sense will prevail over it and will grant the GST exemption on langar items.