Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday slammed the opposition for ‘misleading’ the country on the recent GST reforms and said that keeping four tax slabs when the goods and services tax was introduced was not a decision by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, but by the Empowered Committee of state finance ministers.
In an interview with news agency PTI, Sitharaman said Congress ministers were even a part of it, pondering why the opposition was not aware of it. She said she is ready to apologise if the opposition leaders prove her wrong.
“I have no ego. I will even apologise to people. But what they (opposition) are saying is nonsense,” she said. “The Congress has now stirred into action. If you do not understand the issue, then the least you can do is keep quiet.”
GST Council approves two tax slab rates
The opposition, particularly Congress, has been critical of the central government for keeping four tax slab rates. However, the GST Council, chaired by Sitharaman on Wednesday, has approved the two-tier structure, which will be rolled out on September 22.
Earlier, there were four GST slabs: 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent. However, the council has scrapped the 12 per cent and 28 per cent slabs now, but introduced a new 40 per cent slab for luxury and sin products.
Sitharaman says ‘India needs better Oppn’
Meanwhile, Sitharaman on Saturday said the country needs better opposition, as they are only ‘misleading’ the public and not serving them. She also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he has always been focused on pro-people reforms.
“India deserves a better opposition. I strongly believe in it. India needs better opposition leaders. Such ill-informed commentary will do no good. These leaders are misleading the public and not serving the country. In fact, they are harming it,” Sitharaman told PTI.
