On Tuesday, MPs from various INDIA bloc parties staged a protest on the Parliament premises, demanding the rollback of the 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST) imposed on life and health insurance premiums.
Members of parties including the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (SC) participated in the demonstration, which took place on the steps leading to the Makar Dwar of Parliament. The protesting MPs carried placards with messages such as “Tax Terrorism” and chanted slogans urging the government to reconsider the GST on insurance premiums.
The issue has been raised in Parliament by Trinamool Congress MPs, with party president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee having written a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to express her concerns. Similarly, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has also contacted Sitharaman, advocating for the withdrawal of the GST. Gadkari argued that the tax unfairly burdens people facing life uncertainties and hampers the growth of the insurance industry.
The protest reflects growing discontent among opposition parties regarding the taxation policy and its impact on individuals and the insurance sector
