Delhi: DMK, allies stage 'black' protest against Centre in Parliament premises

The MPs raised slogans demanding the Central government to abolish National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and GST.

"We are not asking for relief --- give us our rights": Tamil Nadu MPs protest against the Union govt's alleged neglect of the state, in front of the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex, in New Delhi, on Feb 8, 2024. Image posted on X by @SuVe4Madurai (Su Venkatesan MP)

CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: The MPs belonging to the DMK and their allies staged a protest wearing black shirts near the Gandhi statue in the Parliament Complex on Thursday condemning the Centre for its alleged financial injustice to Tamil Nadu.

The parliamentarians, led by DMK senior leader T R Baalu, raised slogans denouncing the union government for not allocating the requisite funds to Tamil Nadu and for ignoring it in the union interim budget.

#WATCH | Delhi: DMK MPs stage protest in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament premises over financial neglect faced by Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/KkWw3bgKU7

— ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2024

During the protest in which DMK leader Kanimozhi also participated, the MPs raised slogans demanding the Central government to abolish National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and GST.

Meanwhile, leaders and lawmakers from the Left Democratic Front of Kerala, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, staged a simultaneous protest against the Union government at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Thursday. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal too participated in it.

The Centre's discrimination against Kerala and the resultant financial crunch has forced the state to resort to the protest path, Pinarayi Vijayan had said on Wednesday alleging that the Union government's actions have weakened cooperative federalism.