BJP govt had to swallow its arrogance, cut GST rates, says Shiv Sena

In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamna, the BJP’s alliance partner attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for implementing GST after having criticised it in the past

Terming the recent cut in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates for several items as a victory for the public, the Shiv Sena on Monday slammed the central government and said it had been forced to swallow its “arrogance” and roll back the tax rates.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. The alliance partners in Maharashtra have been at loggerheads for a while now. (HT File)

“On the matter of GST, the government had to bow to public anger and relax it for many things,” an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna said.

The editorial alleged that the tax rate cut was done keeping the Gujarat Assembly polls in mind. Anti-government sentiment had been building in Gujarat, and several small business owners in Surat, Ahmedabad and Rajkot had taken their protests against the local government to the streets, it said.

The Sena also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “U-turn” on GST. “As the chief minister of Gujarat, Modi had strongly opposed the GST and mocked the tax system. But after the BJP came to power at the Centre, he became a supporter of the same tax system,” the editorial said.

The Sena also used the opportunity to renew its attack on demonetisation, and alleged that the Indian economy is on a decline because of such decisions.