The Congress on Friday attacked the Centre and alleged that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi the "Government's rich friends" are getting 'gajak' through tax reliefs, write-offs and exemptions worth crores while the poor are getting only small assistance as 'revris'.
The party also took a dig on the 18 per cent GST on rent for residential property and called it "asli kaala jaadu", even as the government clarified that GST will not apply on residential units if they are rented out to private persons for personal use.
The 'kaala jaadu' dig was in apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's criticism of the Congress for wearing black dresses on August 5 in protest against price rise. Modi had said those who believe in "kaala jaadu" will never be able to win the trust of the people again.
Hitting back at the prime minister, Congress spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh asked why were "bank loans worth Rs 5.8 lakh crore written off in the last five years" and why was "corporate tax worth Rs 1.45 lakh crore reduced". He said while small assistance given to the poor and oppressed classes to tide in tough times are 'revris', the "freebies given to the rich" were like 'gajak', which were way more than those given to the needy.
"We are against the ‘jhooth ki gathri' (bundle of lies) culture. We are not against holding the hands of citizens during bad times," Vallabh said.
Last month, the prime minister, after inaugurating the Bundelkhand Expressway in Uttar Pradesh, cautioned people against what he called the "revri culture" of offering freebies for garnering votes and said it is "very dangerous" for the development of the country.
"We are not against MSP for farmers, we don't consider that 'muft ki revri' We are against 'muft ki gajak' which the Government of India is giving by way of corporate tax cuts, causing a loss of Rs 5.8 lakh crore to the exchequer when public sector banks transferred Rs 7.27 lakh crore in loans written off. We are against this, not against empowering people," Vallabh said at AICC press briefing.