With reduced GST rates on several items coming into effect, the Congress on Monday said the “limited” reform comes eight years too late and a “big question mark” remains on whether the benefits of tax reduction will be passed on to consumers.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said the National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA) was established under Section 171 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, to monitor whether GST rate cuts resulted in the reduction of consumer prices but was rendered “toothless” by the Narendra Modi Government with a notification issued of September 30, 2024.
“It should not be a case of ‘vote chori’ on one hand and ‘munafakhori (profiteering)’ on the other hand with the people not getting the benefits of the GST reduction,” Ramesh said.
He also claimed that “procedural complexities” have not been eased in the reforms despite the fact that it was much needed.
Ramesh pointed out that at the very launch of GST in 2017, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress had pointed out the problems and asserted that what was brought in was the “Gabbar Singh Tax”.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ramesh said that when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, he opposed the GST proposal of the then UPA for eight years from 2006 to 2014.
He asserted that this reform is not a “GST 2.0” that the Congress has been demanding, but at best can be termed “GST 1.5”.
The Congress on Sunday accused Modi of taking “sole ownership” of the amen-dments made to the GST regime and said the current reforms were inadequate, with outstanding issues, including States’ demand for an extension of compensation for another five years, remaining unaddressed.
The Opposition party slammed the reforms as “applying a band-aid after inflicting deep wounds” and said the Government should apologise to the public for its GST on essential items.
In his address to the nation on Sunday, Modi said a “GST bachat utsav (savings festival)” will begin from the first day of Navratri, and coupled with the income tax exemption, it will be a “double bonanza” for most people.