CPI (M) flays GST hike on foods
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 20 2022:
Strongly condemning Government of India's decision to increase Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection from prepacked rice, wheat, milk and other daily essential items, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Manipur secretariat has demanded immediate withdrawal of the GST hike.
According to a statement of CPI (M) Manipur secretariat, tax collected by the British from food stopped fter India attained freedom.
In the past 75 years, no tax was collected from rice, wheat, lentils and daily essential items but the Modi government is giving a new gift to citizens of the country by collecting tax from food
while celebrating the 75th year of India's independence as 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the statement mocked.
Apart from food and daily essential items, the Modi government is also collecting GST from last rites performance, hospital room, ink and bank cheque, it pointed out, adding that people are increasingly finding it difficult to live under the Modi administration as consumer price index and wholesale price index are being increased at an average of 7 and 15 percent respectively.
Increasing unemployment, decreasing value of Indian money, trade deficit and reduction in GDP growth are also creating more problems for the people and increasing prices of essential commodities at this juncture will badly affect the living condition of the people, it added.
Instead of making the people suffer by imposing additional taxes to enhance revenue, the Modi government should collect tax the wealthy people but the government is giving tax concession to wealthiest people of the country, CPI(M) said, adding that all units of the party are ready to launch agitation against the government's anti-people policy.