Congress leader Priyank Kharge on Thursday criticised the Centre's recent GST reforms, and said that the "One Nation, One Tax" had turned into "One Nation, 9 Taxes."
Kharge also claimed that the Congress party had long pushed for a simpler GST system with lower rates to ease the burden on farmers, small businesses, and the middle class. In a post on X, Priyank Kharge wrote, "A bit of common sense seems to have dawned upon the Modi Sarkar on the Gabbar Singh Tax. For almost a decade, the Indian National Congress has been demanding simplification of GST.
"One Nation, One Tax" had become "One Nation, 9 Taxes" -- 0%, 5%, 12%, 18%, 28%, and special rates of 0.25%, 1.5%, 3% and 6%."
"LoP@RahulGandhiand Sri.@kharge had been consistently batting for 18% cap or lower on GST Rates. @INCIndiain its 2019 and 2024 Manifestos had demanded a GST 2.0 with simplified and rational tax regime. We had also demanded to simplify the complicated compliances which had severely hit the MSMEs and small businesses. For the first time, Farmers were taxed under the BJP, with GST rates on at least 36 goods/items in the farm sector ranging from 12% to 28%. Essential commodities like packaged milk, wheat flour, curd, books, stationery etc were brought in under the GST," the post reads.
