New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday accused the opposition of misleading citizens over the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms and clarified that the decision to introduce four tax slabs when GST was launched was not taken by the BJP or former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, but by the Empowered Committee of state finance ministers.
Speaking to news agency PTI, Sitharaman pointed out that Congress leaders were part of the decision-making process and questioned why the party was now opposing it. “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.”
The Congress and other opposition parties have repeatedly criticised the Centre for maintaining four different tax slabs. However, at its recent meeting chaired by Sitharaman, the GST Council approved a simplified two-tier structure to replace the earlier system.
Under the previous framework, GST was divided into four slabs: 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%. The new structure will come into effect on September 22, eliminating the 12% and 28% categories while introducing a 40% slab for luxury and sin goods.
