Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday sharply criticised the Central government’s overhaul of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), termed ‘GST 2.0,’ dismissing it as a “festival of loot” rather than the “festival of savings” as described by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Singh’s remarks were a direct response to Modi’s address to the nation on Monday, where the Prime Minister hailed the GST overhaul as “Bachat Utsav” (festival of savings), claiming it would ease the financial burden on households and bolster India’s appeal as an investment destination.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also initiated a week-long campaign called “GST Bachat Utsav,” running from September 22, to 29, to promote the benefits of the GST reforms and foster a festive atmosphere around the policy changes.
However, Sanjay Singh rejected the government’s narrative, stating, “This is not a ‘bachat utsav’. Whenever PM Modi declares anything as ‘utsav’, I become concerned. This is a festival of loot.” He further took a swipe at the BJP, labelling it the “Bharatiya Jebkatra (pickpocket) Party, which loots from the common man.”
Singh alleged that over the past eight years, the government collected ₹127 lakh crore through GST, while ₹80 lakh crore was “looted” from citizens during the same period. He claimed that the tax burden disproportionately fell on ordinary citizens rather than the wealthy, asserting, “This tax was collected from the common man, not the super-rich.
Sixty-four per cent of GST was collected from 50pc of the common people. The middle class and the upper middle class paid 33 pc of the total revenue collected. Only 3pc GST collections came from the rich.”
Also Read: GST reform ‘eight years late, half-hearted’, says Congress
The GST 2.0 framework introduces two primary tax rates of 5 pc and 18 pc, with ultra-luxury and sin goods taxed at a higher rate of 40 pc. Under the new structure, nearly 99 pc of goods previously taxed at 12 pc will now fall under the 5 pc bracket, while approximately 90 pc of items once taxed at 28 pc will be shifted to the 18 pc slab.
Singh’s criticism follows remarks made by senior AAP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, who also took a dig at Prime Minister Modi. Kejriwal questioned Modi’s renewed push for “buy swadeshi (indigenous)” products, stating, “people expect action and not sermons.” He further challenged the Prime Minister, asking, “about the foreign aircraft you travel in, the foreign goods you use.” The combined critique from AAP leaders underscores their scepticism of the government’s economic policies and promotional campaigns surrounding GST 2.0.
Also Read: GST 2.0 to benefit every section of society, says PM Modi
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