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Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday, 26 August, led a meeting with chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states and also the chief ministers of West Bengal and Maharashtra, Mamata Banerjee and Uddhav Thackeray, to discuss the pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) share, and the NEET and JEE examination issue, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"We should decide whether we have to fight or fear the central government. Opposition chief ministers should speak louder as central government is trying to suppress our voice," Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray said at the Opposition meeting.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy along with the West Bengal and Maharashtra chief ministers joined the meeting on video call.
Thackeray also added that it was “not the right time” to either reopen schools or hold exams.
“There was a report from the US that about 97,000 children were infected by COVID-19 when schools were opened. What will we do if such a situation arises here?” asked Thackeray, addressing the other chief ministers.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said state governments were being "bulldozed" by the BJP government in the name of cooperative federalism.
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren suggested that the chief ministers can first approach the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
However, they all agreed that since the exams start in a week, the next move would have to be fast.
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh pointed that the COVID-19 situation was “getting worse” and that the finances of the states are “completely down”.
Echoing him, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said the Centre not paying GST led to “fearful situation.”
“The Centre has not paid GST compensation to the states for the last 4 months. Today, the situation is fearful,” he said.
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