Itanagar, Sep 23: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has strongly criticized the launch of “GST Bachat Utsav” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling it an “election-time gimmick” rather than a genuine economic reform.
The opposition party termed the announcement, that coincided with Navratri celebrations and the Prime Minister’s birthday, as a publicity stunt aimed at covering up eight years of alleged economic mismanagement under the BJP rule.
In a statement, the APCC said the Bachat Utsav is being projected as a festival gift, but it fails to address the fundamental flaws in India’s GST regime that have burdened small traders, MSMEs, farmers, and ordinary citizens since its rollout in 2017. “GST under BJP has been nothing short of economic violence. PM Modi owes an apology to India’s farmers, traders and youth,” the party asserted.
The Congress highlighted that, despite claims of simplification under Next-Gen GST 2025, many items that were previously taxed at 12% will now fall under the 18% slab, making essential commodities costlier. It warned that the reform could reduce state revenues, particularly affecting smaller states like Arunachal Pradesh that rely heavily on GST compensation.
APCC president Bosiram Siram called for zero GST on essential items such as food, medicines, education, and health services, stressing the need for relief to small traders and MSMEs through higher exemption thresholds and simplified compliance. The party also demanded the Centre extend the GST Compensation Fund for five years, taking 2024–25 as the base year, to safeguard state finances and maintain fiscal federalism.
The party criticised the BJP government for delivering a “One Nation, Nine Taxes” regime, rather than the promised “One Nation, One Tax,” and urged the formation of a Parliamentary Committee to review GST failures and recommend citizen-friendly reforms.
“The so-called festival gift is being marketed as reform, but unless the government ensures genuine simplification, transparency, and protection of state revenues, Next-Gen GST 2025 risks being another slogan-driven exercise,” the statement said.
The APCC reaffirmed its commitment to a fair and people-centric GST regime, saying India deserves reforms that truly benefit citizens, protect state finances, and support small businesses, rather than last-minute election-time announcements.