India’s opposition Congress party is pushing hard for petrol and diesel to fall under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system. They argue this move would deliver real relief to everyday people struggling with high fuel prices and rising costs.
In a sharp critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, Congress leaders slammed the GST rollout as too late and badly handled. Speaking to reporters, Congress spokesperson Abhay Dubey pointed out that the party had called for a simple, single-tax GST eight years ago. Instead, the government created six different tax slabs, which he says wrecked the small business sector—known as MSMEs—that drives much of India’s economy. Dubey cited an RBI report to back this up, noting how low demand led to production drops, fueling inflation and long-term economic damage. “We demand that petroleum products and electricity get brought under GST right away,” he added.
Fellow Congress leader Pramod Tiwari didn’t hold back on Modi personally. “It was sad to see your face lose its shine—you finally realized you misled the nation,” Tiwari said. He accused the GST of turning into “legalized loot,” claiming the government has extracted Rs 50 lakh crore from the middle class. Small industries got crushed, inflation spiked, and tax slabs only came down after pressure from Rahul Gandhi, according to Tiwari.
Congress national spokesperson Supriya Shrinate echoed the frustration, saying Modi slapped on sky-high GST rates and now wants applause for dialing them back. “If this is a ‘GST Savings Festival’ today, what were the last eight years—a ‘Loot Festival’?” she asked. Shrinate called out the lack of planning in these policies and urged Modi to truly help by slashing petrol and diesel prices. She also jabbed at his “Swadeshi” talk, pointing out his preference for foreign-brand clothes.
This comes right after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled GST changes aimed at boosting the economy. She said the reforms could pump about Rs 2 lakh crore back into people’s pockets by raising consumer spending power and easing the tax burden. As debates heat up over GST reforms, inflation, and fuel costs, many Indians are watching closely for tangible relief.
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