Congress will bring single-slab GST: Rahul in poll-bound MP
Dabra (MP), Oct 15: Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Monday that a one-slab Goods and Services Tax (GST) would be implemented if his party is elected to power at the Centre.
The Gandhi scion lambasted the present multi-slab GST, saying it has "ruined" the small shopkeepers in the country.
"How much money did this Gabbar Singh Tax take away from your pockets? After this meeting, you should go to a small shopkeeper and ask him whether the GST benefited him or resulted in a loss," Gandhi said at a public meeting in Madhya Pradesh's Dabra.
"He will tell you that this Gabbar Singh Tax has ruined small shopkeepers and the people of this country," Gandhi said.
"I want to tell the small traders of India including those in Madhya Pradesh that (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and his Finance Minister (Arun Jaitley) defamed you all. They termed you thieves. You are not thieves. You serve this country," the Congress president said.
He alleged that crores of honest shopkeepers across the country were suffering because of some wrong-doers.
"You (shopkeepers) are serving the country like every other citizen. There may be couple of people who adopt wrong ways. But this is not the responsibility of crores of country's shopkeepers, who are honest," Gandhi said.
"I want to assure you that when a Congress government comes to power at the Centre, we will convert Gabbar Singh Tax into a real GST," he said.
He said if voted to power, the Congress will do away from five different taxes (slabs) and "there will be the lowest tax, only one tax (one slab of GST).
"You will not need to hire accountants (to file GST returns)... Your (shopkeepers') losses would be reduced and you will need to fill in fewer forms," he said.
The assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh will be held on November 28 and the counting of votes will take place on December 11.
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Violence reported in several parts of Kerala after civic poll results
Kozhikode (PTI): Violence erupted overnight at various places across Kerala, particularly in northern districts, following the announcement of local body election results, police said.
In Eramala in Kozhikode district, tension prevailed throughout the night after the Indira Gandhi Bhavan, a Congress office, was allegedly attacked by CPI(M) workers.
According to an FIR registered at Edachery police station, around 200 people marched towards the Congress office carrying dangerous weapons and vandalised the building, causing damage estimated at around Rs five lakh.
A statue of late prime minister Indira Gandhi was also damaged in the attack, police said. Soon after, UDF activists gathered at the spot, further aggravating the situation.
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However, with the deployment of additional police personnel, the situation was brought under control, an officer said.
Police said another violent incident was reported at Marad, where stones were allegedly pelted at a UDF victory procession, leaving several persons injured.
In Sultan Bathery in Wayanad district, police registered a case after a car carrying a UDF activist and his family members was allegedly attacked by around 40 CPI(M) workers, an official said.
Sultan Bathery police also booked UDF activists in a separate incident for allegedly attacking a CPI(M) worker who objected to the bursting of crackers near his house, the officer said.
In Panoor in Kannur district, houses of several Muslim League activists were allegedly attacked by CPI(M) workers. Vehicles parked at the houses were also damaged.
According to Panoor police, the violence broke out after a UDF victory rally was allegedly stopped by CPI(M) workers armed with swords and daggers. Some UDF leaders sustained injuries in the clash.
Clashes were also reported between UDF and LDF workers at Ulikkal in Kannur district, though police intervention brought the situation under control later in the night, an officer in the Ulikkal police station said.
In Bedakom in Kasaragod district, an LDF victory march turned violent after CPI(M) activists allegedly intercepted UDF workers passing through the area. Some policemen who intervened suffered minor injuries, an officer said.
Similar violence was reported from Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district following clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers. Police said workers from both sides sustained minor injuries and were admitted to hospitals. Cases will be registered after formal complaints are received, police said.
