From farmers to bizmen, everyone upset with GST, says Gehlot

Congress national general secretary and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot has said that the central government has increased the tax burden with GST.

In the interaction with the reporters at the railway station after reaching Jodhpur on Wednesday, Gehlot said everyone is upset from the grassroots to the upper rungs.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised that the yield of farmers will be procured by adding profits to the cost of production, but nothing has been done in this regard yet. The peasant movement is on the way. A large number of farmers are committing suicide. Many protesters were killed by the police. The promise of debt waiver has not been implemented. The government has imposed a debt waiver on the state governments,” added Gehlot

“GST has left the whole country in utter confusion,” he said, adding that the Congress had supported it on the condition that the tax rate would be 18%, but the government has increased it to 28%.

Gehlot alleged that the government has imposed GST without any preparation. “For the first time after independence, tax has been levied on clothes. Traders are protesting against this, but no hearing is being done at any level,” he said.

With reference to Anandpal, Gehlot said that the last rites of someone should be performed in a ceremonial funeral. The state government should get the issue investigated by the CBI.

Gehlot also condemned the attack on Amarnath pilgrims calling it a “cowardly act”.

“Travellers go on the journey with immense faith. The central government should maintain their faith. Security flaws should be checked so that such incidents are not repeated,” said the former chief minister.