Just hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the nation about upcoming GST reforms, Congress leader KC Venugopal fired back with sharp criticism. On Sunday, Venugopal called Modi’s address a “desperate attempt” to claim credit for changes that come too late and only ease the heavy burden on India’s poor and middle classes.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Venugopal said it would have been right for the Prime Minister to apologize for the “trauma” people faced under GST from 2017 to 2025. He shared the message right after Modi’s 5 p.m. speech, highlighting how the system has hurt everyday Indians.
Venugopal stressed that Congress has long pushed for a simple, single low GST rate. He slammed the current setup as a “cumbersome 4-tier Gabbar Singh Tax” that complicates life for businesses. The party vows to keep fighting for more GST reforms to support Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and strengthen fiscal federalism.
Key demands in his post include simplifying filing procedures that overwhelm MSMEs, extending the compensation cess to protect states’ GST shares, and shielding hard-hit sectors like textiles, agriculture, fisheries, and tourism from global economic challenges. “While the battle for a fairer GST continues, the first step is to undo the damage done by the Central government,” Venugopal wrote.
Earlier that day, Modi announced the rollout of next-generation GST reforms starting September 22, tying it to India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat push for self-reliance. In his address, he promised a nationwide “GST Bachat Utsav” to deliver savings for the poor, middle class, farmers, traders, and entrepreneurs. Modi linked the launch to the first day of Navratri, saying it would rise with the sun as a major step forward for the country.
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