Uddhav Thackeray hits back at PM Modi for his Diwali allusion, asks whether government will refund taxes collected so far

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that Diwali has come early for the people of India because of the latest decisions taken by the GST Council, ally Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray hit back at the PM for his Diwali allusion.

Thackeray though welcomed the reduction in tax slabs under GST, he questioned whether the government would refund the tax collected so far.

Showering praises on the previous UPA governments led by Dr Manmohan Singh, the Shiv Sena chief said, "I am not an economist to comment on yesterday's developments, but I must say that the previous government stood firm on its decisions."

He maintained that the changes in GST slabs were not enough. 

"People are still not happy, inflation is still up. Rising prices are burning a hole in the common man's pocket and that the Centre is doing nothing to address their concerns,” said Thackeray.