How Opposition reacted to PM Modi’s address? Congress says he claimed sole credit for GST amendments
Jairam Ramesh said Indian National Congress has long argued that the Goods and Services Tax has been a ‘Growth Suppressing Tax’.
Congress has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on GST reforms that are coming into effect from Monday, September 22, and said the prime minister addressed the nation to “claim sole ownership of the amendments made to the GST regime by the GST Council, a constitutional body.”
Congress general secretary, in-charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh, said Indian National Congress has long argued that the Goods and Services Tax has been a “Growth Suppressing Tax”.
In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh said, “It is plagued with a high number of tax brackets, punitive tax rates for items of mass consumption, large-scale evasion and misclassification, costly compliance burdens, and an inverted duty structure (lower tax on output as compared to inputs).”
“We have been demanding a GST 2.0 since July 2017 itself. This was a key pledge made in our Nyay Patra for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections,” he said.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge took a jibe at the GST reforms ans the prime minister's address with a Hindi proverb, “nau sau choohe khakar, billi haj ko chali.” Also Read | What PM Narendra Modi said on GST, Swadeshi goods and savings in his address amid trade tensions with US — Highlights
In a post on X, Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Narendra Modi ji, instead of the simple and efficient GST of the Congress party, your government imposed the 'Gabbar Singh Tax' by collecting 9 different slabs and collected over ₹55 lakh crore in eight years. Now you are talking about a ₹2.5 lakh crore 'savings festival' and applying a simple band-aid after inflicting deep wounds on the public!”
Kharge said, “Janta kabhi nahi bhulegi ki aapne unke daal-chawal-anaaj, pencil, kitaben, ilaaj, kisano ke tractor — sabse GST vasoolaa tha [The public will never forget that you collected GST on their pulses, rice, grains, pencils, books, medical treatment, farmers' tractors - everything. Your government should apologize to the public]”
Also Read | PM Modi strikes ‘Swadeshi’ chord amid H-1B visa fee, tariff hike, says ‘today, knowingly or unknowingly…’
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh slammed the GST reforms, while also crediting Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) for making the Centre to make changes in the GST rates.
“GST rates were actually anti-people...Because people use the product, there is more GST on it; there is more GST on health and life insurance. And when the rich and richest use the product, there is less GST,” he said.
(With agency inputs)