BJP MP Varun Gandhi attacks Centre over imposing GST on packaged food items, says 'Decision taken amid record-breaking unemployment will...'

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi on Monday (July 18, 2022) criticised Narendra Modi's government decision to impose GST on packaged food items such as milk, curd and rice and said that this will "hurt people" already struggling with "record-breaking unemployment". A 5 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) has kicked in on pre-packaged and labelled food items such as cereals, pulses and flour weighing less than 25 kg from Monday.

"This decision taken amid record-breaking unemployment will put more financial burden on the middle class families, especially struggling youngsters living in rented houses. We are hurting them at a time when they needed relief," Gandhi tweeted.

आज से दूध, दही, मक्खन, चावल, दाल, ब्रेड जैसे पैक्ड उत्पादों पर GST लागू है।

रिकार्डतोड़ बेरोजगारी के बीच लिया गया यह फैसला मध्यमवर्गीय परिवारों और विशेषकर किराए के मकानों में रहने वाले संघर्षरत युवाओं की जेबें और हल्की कर देगा।

जब ‘राहत’ देने का वक्त था, तब हम ‘आहत’ कर रहे हैं। — Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) July 18, 2022

The Opposition also attacked the Centre over imposing GST on packaged food items. The BJP, however, accused opposition parties of doing politics over the issue and said that states not ruled by the BJP were also part of the decision taken by the GST council.

Rahul Gandhi hit out at the ruling BJP and shared a graph on Twitter showing how commodities like curd, paneer, rice, wheat, barley, jaggery and honey are being taxed now. There was no tax on these items of mass consumption earlier.

"High taxes, No jobs. BJP's masterclass on how to destroy what was once one of the world's fastest growing economies," Gandhi said on Twitter.

HIGH taxes, NO jobs

BJP’s masterclass on how to destroy what was once one of the world’s fastest growing economies. pic.twitter.com/cinP1o65lB — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 18, 2022

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took a swipe at Prime Minister Modi, saying that arrangements were being made for some to earn indiscriminately, but the poor and middle class were being maligned with the talk of "Revadi culture".

"Earlier, petrol-diesel, cooking gas were made expensive. From today, flour, cereals and curd have also became expensive. To benefit the trillionaire friends of Modi ji, electricity will be made expensive in the coming time," the Congress general secretary said in a tweet in Hindi.

"For some people, arrangements are being made to earn indiscriminately, but the poor and middle class are being maligned by talk of 'Revadi culture'," Priyanka Gandhi said.

पहले पेट्रोल-डीजल, रसोई गैस महंगी की। आज से आटा, अनाज, दही भी महंगा हो गया। मोदी जी के खरबपति दोस्तों को फायदा पहुंचाने के लिए आने वाले समय में बिजली महंगी होगी

कुछ लोगों के लिए अंधाधुंध कमाई का इंतजाम हो रहा है, लेकिन "रेवड़ी कल्चर" बोलकर बदनाम गरीब व मध्यवर्ग को किया जा रहा है pic.twitter.com/16s8Q8AmcB — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 18, 2022

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded the Centre to withdraw the tax citing a "steep price rise" in the country.

"The entire country is facing a steep price rise and the Centre has increased the cost of food items by imposing GST on them. I demand the Centre to withdraw it," Kejriwal told reporters.

Meanwhile, traders in the national capital also opposed the GST Council's decision to tax pre-packed and labelled food items, and termed it an "anti-people move".