Centre's hyper propaganda for meagre tax cut after collecting Rs 55 lakh crore GST: YS Sharmila

Amaravati, Oct 15 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila on Wednesday accused the NDA government at the Centre of collecting over Rs 55 lakh crore GST between 2017-18 and 2024-25, but resorting to 'hyper propaganda' after slashing the indirect taxes by a pittance.

Sharmila's comments come at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the 'Super GST--Super Savings' programme in Kurnool on October 16.

The GST Council recently approved a complete overhaul of the Goods and Services Tax regime, slashing tax on several common-use items, from hair oil to corn flakes and personal health and life insurance policies and umpteen others.

"Modi's mega GST 2.0 utsav is the joke of the decade. In the name of Gabbar Singh (GST) Tax between 2017-18 and 2024-25, Rs 55.4 lakh crore was looted for eight years but only Rs 2.5 lakh crore (taxes) were reduced under reforms," said Sharmila in a Congress press release.

Sharmila termed the claim that the GST reduction will increase people's purchasing power as a lie and ridiculed conducting a public meeting to celebrate this. She also criticised Centre's initiatives such as 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' as "bogus".

Alleging that 7,000 buses are engaged to mobilise five lakh people for tomorrow's PM meeting, the opposition leader slammed the TDP-led NDA government, saying that they are spending from the exchequer to praise Narendra Modi.

Observing that the GST reforms will only extend a temporary benefit of Rs 8,000 crore to the people of the southern state, Sharmila highlighted that only 'special category status' will do justice to Andhra Pradesh and not GST celebrations.

Terming 'special category status' as the panacea, she claimed that it will offer massive tax incentives, provide jobs to unemployed people in lakhs.

Criticising PM Modi for allegedly failing to keep up his promise of granting 'special category status' to Andhra Pradesh for 10 years, made in Tirupati, Shamila alleged that the former is 'dodging' this matter every time he visits the state.

Further, she alleged that the PM is behaving as if he is not bothered about the promises made during the bifurcation of the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh. Either announce 'special category status' at least now and reveal BJP's stance on this issue, she demanded the PM.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh BJP chief spokesperson V Jaya Prakash said Sharmila is not happy with Modi at a time when he is showering several benefits on the state.

Despite the Centre helping the state, he said Sharmila has made it a habit to criticise the NDA government.

"She (Sharmila) gets tears when Andhra Pradesh receives justice. Why are you not telling people about the rise in your family members' assets when your father was the CM," asked the BJP leader. PTI STH ADB