In a scathing attack at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, senior BJP leader and Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani said that demonetisation was a tragedy but only for the Congress and Gandhi family.
“Rahul himself is the biggest tragedy for the Gandhi family. Elections after elections, Congress has lost elections under his leadership and this is the biggest tragedy,” she said while addressing reporters in lucknow on Wednesday.
The Union Minister was reacting to Gandhi’s tweet which said, “Demonetisation is a tragedy. We stand with millions of honest Indians whose lives and livelihood was destroyed by PM’s thoughtless act.”
She further said that Gandhi family wais synonymous with corruption and Rahul enacted a drama by standing in a queue to withdraw Rs 4,000 from an ATM during demonetisation before going on a foreign visit.
“Rahul was supposed to take over as Congress president this month. But after Exit Polls showed that the BJP is gaining power in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the party again deferred its decision. It proves that Rahul is the real tragedy for Congress and Gandhi family,” Irani said.
When asked if the Gujarat elections would be a mandate of the people on GST Irani said, “We don’t believe in this theory as the party has gone in the elections on the issue of development and the results will prove us right.” However, Irani sought to know as to why no one was talking about Himachal Pradesh as there too GST would have an impact. “This is because people know that Congress has no chance to return to power,” she said. Irani churned out figures to show positive outcome of demonetization and thanked the people of the country for supporting the action taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb black money.
The Union Minister claimed that one crore employees were registered with Provident Fund while there was an increase in the number of Income Tax payees. Irani said that it was the courage of the PM that he announced to implement Benami Property Act, which was passed by the Parliament 28 years back.
When asked about problems faced by the traders because of GST, Irani said that the new tax regime was a transparent tax system in which every state was a partner. “The GST Counsil meets regularly and sorts out issues. In the coming meeting, several issues too will be solved,” she said.
When a scribe asked about the GST problem for small and medium newspapers, the minister disclosed that she had spoken to several associations and has sent her suggestions to the GST Council.
“ I will do whatever is required ,” she just said while adding that she was ready to meet more people from the sector very soon. State BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey was also present at the press meet.