New Delhi: Congress and its allies seven Chief Ministers hit-out at the Centre on its decision to hold the JEE and NEET. They decided to jointly move a review petition in the Supreme Court urging it reconsider its recent order rejecting the deferral of the exams due to the ranging controversies pandemic.

This was decided at a virtual meeting called by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamatha Benerjee. The opposition parties DMK and the AAP were not part of the meeting, also joined the growing chorus against the holding of the JEE and NEET. Let us go to the SC, let us talk about this matter, said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamatha Benerjee.

This is a mental agony for students, I have not seen so many atrocities in a democracy, she said. The situation is very serious; we have to speak up for the children. At the meeting which she had convenes to discuss a range of issues ahead of Parliament’s monsoon sessions, due to begin on September 14^th. Sonia Gandhi raised the subject of Centre-State relations and also the GST compensation issue.

Sonia Gandhi in her speech in virtual meeting said I thought we should have an interaction so that we can have a coordinated approach. GST compensation seems to be a big issue. GST compensation being paid to the states on time according to laws passed by Parliament is crucial. But it is not happening. Dues have accumulated and the finances of the states are badly affected.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said we have to decide if we want to fear or fight the Government. The people who elected the BJP at the Centre also elected all of us. But we do something it is paap (sin) and if they do anything then it is Punya (virtuous). Pondicherry Chief Minister Narayana Swamy, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Jharkhand CM Hemanth Soren and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot attend the virtual meeting.