Telangana Minister *Ponnam Prabhakar* criticized the *central government’s use of GST, calling it a tool to **exploit the public. He referenced Rahul Gandhi’s remark that **GST is a “gabbing tax”, highlighting its impact on citizens. Ponnam added that the **tax was even levied on coffins*, demonstrating the extensive reach of the levy.
He stated that for *the past eight years, the public has borne the burden of GST, which has strained household finances and state resources. While the central government recently **reduced GST to address the economic crisis, Ponnam warned that this move would result in a **loss of ₹7,000 crore for Telangana*.
The minister demanded that the *central government compensate the state for this shortfall, arguing that **state revenues should not be compromised due to federal tax policies. He emphasized the need for **fair taxation and protection of state financial interests*.
