Bring petroleum items under GST: Congress

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday called for the inclusion of petroleum products and real estate under the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and said it would raise the demand during Thursday’s GST council meeting.

Party spokesperson and Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal said the party will also demand that drastic changes in the new tax regime’s tariff be withheld till certain stakeholders were consulted.

At Thursday’s meeting, he claimed that the government would change the GST law, which requires Constitutional amendments.

“The kind of changes which have been brought in the last six months, it actually exceeds the total volume of GST law which was rolled out in July,” he said.

Badal accused the BJP-led NDA government of “profiteering at the expense” of the common man. “Petrol and diesel prices are skyrocketing. The Modi government is profiteering at the expense of the common man. To provide relief to consumers, petroleum prices should be brought under the GST,” he said.