Congress Criticizes Modi's GST Reforms Amidst Promises of Economic Revival

Congress has criticized Prime Minister Modi for taking exclusive credit for GST amendments, arguing that the reforms are inadequate and do not address key concerns such as compensating states for revenue loss. Modi's recent address promising economic benefits from the new GST is seen as insufficient by critics.

On Sunday, the Congress party accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of monopolizing the credit for recent amendments to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. The opposition claims these reforms fail to address core issues, such as states' calls for extended compensation for lost revenues, thereby leaving persistent challenges unresolved.

Congress criticized the reforms as mere band-aids on deep-seated problems and demanded an apology from the government for the GST imposed on essential goods. Ahead of the reduced GST rates' implementation, Modi called for a push for 'swadeshi' goods, asserting the new reforms would accelerate India's growth and attract investors.

President Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh argued that the GST amendments, despite being delayed for years, fall short of boosting private investments. They demand further reforms to ease the burden on MSMEs and uphold fiscal federalism, while questioning Modi's promises of a growth surge.

(With inputs from agencies.)