Mani Shankar Aiyar slams govt’s claim of ‘simplifying GST structure,’ BJP hits back with ‘relief to all’ claim

New Delhi: A fresh political row has erupted over the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms, with senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar accusing the Central government of ignoring key reform recommendations and hurting small traders, while the BJP leaders hit back, claiming the GST has brought widespread relief and savings for the public.

Speaking critically about the government’s recent claims of simplifying the GST structure, Aiyar said: “Today, Modi ji and his followers are saying we have simplified GST. If they had listened to us, they could have done this 10 years ago. We had suggested putting an 18 per cent cap right at the draft stage. But in these past 10 years, small traders and consumers have been harassed, and thousands of crores have been extracted from them. And now they say they are giving a gift on Dussehra, that the 18 per cent ceiling has been imposed. Why wasn’t this done earlier?…”

He further urged the government to bring tobacco, electricity, and alcohol under GST within five years.

“You can impose whatever tax you want within GST, but there shouldn’t be disparity across states, some getting taxed at 10 per cent, others at 50 per cent. That is completely wrong,” Aiyar added.

Responding to the criticism, Union Minister Giriraj Singh defended the GST regime and questioned the Congress’ record during its time in power.

“When the Congress was in power, the Income Tax exemption limit was Rs 3 lakh. Modi ji raised it to Rs 12 lakh. You may not like it, but ask the youth, the elderly, the farmers, and every household is benefiting now. Every food item has lower GST,” he said.

Referring to the festive season, Singh added: “With GST rates lowered, festivals like Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath will be even more affordable. Congress leaders should take a pledge to buy only ‘Made in India’ goods.”

BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain also dismissed the Congress’ accusations as baseless.

“There have been major changes in GST. People are saving significantly. From food to vehicles, everything is cheaper — cycles, motorcycles, TVs, fridges. But Congress leaders are making cheap statements. Why didn’t they implement these reforms when they were in power?” he said.

The war of words comes as the government pushes recent updates to simplify the GST structure, aiming to make compliance easier and rates more uniform. While the Congress claims these steps are too little, too late, the BJP insists that the Narendra Modi government has provided meaningful economic relief to all sections of society.

IANS