West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly usurping credit for Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms, underscoring that her Trinamool Congress (TMC) government had been at the forefront of pushing for reductions on essential items for years. The rebuke came hours after Modi's televised address to the nation on Sunday evening, where he hailed the proposed new GST slabs as a "game-changer" for India's taxation framework that will push for more savings and more self reliance.
Speaking at a Durga Puja event in Kolkata, Banerjee dismissed Modi's narrative as selective amnesia, accusing the Centre of ignoring repeated pleas from opposition-ruled states like West Bengal. "The Prime Minister's speech was all pomp and no substance. If GST reforms are such a milestone, why did it take eight long years of our government's persistent demands to even consider easing the burden on the common man?" she asked, flanked by senior TMC leaders.
"This is not just reform; it's a revolution in equitable taxation that will empower every household," Modi had hailed during his address to the nation, crediting the GST Council's collaborative spirit for the progress.
Banerjee, however, painted a contrasting picture. She revealed that since 2017, her administration has dispatched no fewer than 3 detailed letters to the Finance Ministry, urging the removal or reduction of GST on critical sectors like healthcare and pharmaceuticals. "We wrote time and again about the 18% GST on life-saving medicines and health insurance premiums - taxes that hit the poor hardest during the pandemic," she said while adding "While Delhi patted itself on the back, Bengal was bleeding for its people. Now, they want to claim the glory?"
The new GST reform has two-slab model- 5% for essentials and 18% for most other goods and services. “This will reduce the cost of everyday living. Ahead of festive season this will boost the pockets of the common people” PM Modi had said.
