Labour minister Santosh Lad strongly criticised the central govt’s GST implementation. He highlighted that even basic items are taxed, affecting 70% of the country’s poor population who are not involved in any business activities.
Addressing the gathering at a card distribution event for unorganised construction workers in Chitradurga on Saturday, the minister highlighted GST implications on daily essentials. “Even if you go to a desert, you have to pay GST there. The central govt’s policies burden people without income, affecting 70% of workers, the poor, and farmers,” he criticised.
Pointing out the 18% GST on school necessities like uniforms, books, bags, and shoes, he asserted that such taxation on educational items is unprecedented globally. Discussing demonetisation, Lad referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign promise regarding black money. He noted that despite 15.4 lakh crore currency notes being in circulation and claims about eliminating black money and fake currency, individuals with undeclared wealth managed to legitimise it through banks.
The minister observed that the Rs 2,000 currency note was absent from circulation for four years, despite 40,000 crore rupees spent on printing. He mentioned that 103 individuals lost their lives during the note exchange, an issue that remained unaddressed. He cited that high-denomination notes initially totalled Rs 26,000 crore, now reaching Rs 1.2 lakh crore according to RBI reports.
Lad highlighted the national debt’s increase from Rs 55 lakh crore (from Independence to 2016) to Rs 225 lakh crore presently, questioning the BJP’s accountability for this surge.
Source #TOI
