AMN / Ahmedabad
Congress today fielded former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Gujarat to amplify party prospect and attack on the Narendra Modi government’s mega reforms, the notes ban and new national sales tax GST.
Former prime minister said that he could proudly say that the previous UPA government had lifted 140 million people out of poverty.
Speaking a day ahead of demonetisation anniversary in Ahmedabad, Singh blasted the BJP government saying that nowhere in the world has any nation taken such a drastic step that sweeped off 86 per cent of the currency.
Dr Singh was addressing a meeting of traders and businessmen organised by the Congress in his PM Modi’s home state, which goes to polls soon.
He said: “I repeat what I said in Parliament, demonetisation was an organised loot and legalised plunder.”
He said the fear of tax terrorism has eroded the confidence of Indian business to invest.
He said: “In first half of 2016-17, India’s imports from China stood at Rs 1. 96 lakh crore. In 2017-18, it increased to Rs 2.41 lakh crore.
He said unprecedented growth of imports by over Rs 45,000 crore was registered, a 23 per cent increase in a year, can be attributed largely to demonetisation and GST.
Manmohan Singh termed bullet train project an exercise in vanity. —
He also questioned PM Modi’s pet project the bullet train, calling it “an exercise in vanity” and asking if the Prime Minister had considered the alternative of “a high speed train by upgrading broad gauge railway?” The former PM said, “By questioning bullet trains does one become anti-development? Does questioning GST and Demonetisation make one a tax evader?”
The Congress is seeking to wrest Gujarat from the BJP, which has ruled the state for the last 22 years straight. Rahul Gandhi has in his Gujarat campaign made aggressive attacks on PM Modi and his government over both the notes ban and GST, which he has labeled the “Gabbar Singh Tax” after the famous villain from Bollywood superhit Sholay. Mr Gandhi says the “two quick shots to the chest,” have brought Gujarat’s small traders to their knees and they must punish the BJP by voting against it in next month’s assembly elections.
Rahul Gandhi has said that GST has its merits, but has accused the government of a hurried and unwieldy roll-out and has promised to revamp it completely if his party is voted to power at the Centre in 2019.