Rahul Gandhi trashes WB report, says GST, currency-ban ruined ease of doing business

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi n Wednesday took the Narendra Modi government to task for flaunting global ease of business claims while the small traders and mid-sized business persons were facing trying times on the very same parameters.

Rahul, who commenced his three-day tour of south Gujarat on Wednesday, said that the NDA government may claim India has jumped 30 spots on the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business’ list, but such was not the scenario on the ground.

“The finance minister has ears for outsiders. I wish he visits his own small entrepreneur and businessman to see what he is undergoing. You will find the country saying in unison that this is not so. Demonetisation and GST have knocked the wind out of small businesses,” he said, speaking at a rally in Jambusar.

The Congress vice-president, who has been receiving an enthusiastic response during his tours, will this time cover about 30 Assembly constituencies in the south Gujarat region.

Gandhi asserted that there is a cold anger seething through the length and breadth of the country over the implementation of demonetisation and GST. ‘‘The economy is in a shambles and demonetisation has resulted in a two percent GDP fall. ‘‘But this did not deter the prime minister from introducing GST with multiple tax rates and a high rate of 28 per cent a single fell swoop.

Lashing out at Modi, Rahul said that the Prime Minister had promised to unearth black money in Swiss banks. ‘‘Modiji should produce one person who has been jailed for having black money in Swiss banks. Not all money in foreign banks is black. Look at Vijay Mallya, he is having a good time in London. What has Modiji done,” he demanded.

Rahul was sarcasm personified when he talked of the Gujarat ‘Model of Development’. It is a model which has left all strata sad and upset, except the 8 to 10 industrialists who are having a great time. Everyone else on the road in an agitated state”, he added.

The Congress vice-president was referring to the series of festering agitations in the state involving the Patidars, the OBCs, farmers and the Dalits. ‘‘The Gujarat model is intended to usurp the power, land and water of the people and hand it over to the industrialists, who make merry at the cost of the common man. As for the commoner, if you don’t have money, no work will be done,” he added.