Bengaluru, Dec 21: Saying that flawed implementation of GST regime and ill-effects of demonetisation will remain in the people’s mind for a long period, Senior Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the two processes initiated by the NDA government had severely damaged the Indian economy and they will be major factors influencing the outcome of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters here he said, ‘’no one can erase the thought on people’s mind that demonetisation and a flawed GST has damaged India's economy. That perception and and conviction has spread far and wide to every nook and corner of this country. Every citizen knows that the two had destroyed jobs and SMEs, while it derailed India’s economy. Nothing that BJP can do to erase that perception’’.
He said demonetisation had failed to have any effect on the informal economy as over 99 per cent was back into the banks. Traders were affected. People should ask the government to compensate all those who were affected by demonetisation.
Mr Chidambaram said world-over GST standard rate were one rate. IT was standard plus and minus. Congress had been demanding one standard rate not exceeding 18 per cent. ‘’This government called it stupid thought. Now this grand stupid thought is going to be blessed in tomorrow’s GST Council,’’ he lamented.
He said world-over GST standard rate is one rate. Standard plus and minus. Congress has been demanding one standard rate not exceeding 18 per cent. ‘’This government called it stupid thought. Today the grand stupid though is going to be blessed in tomorrow’s GST Council,’’ he added.
On farm loan waiver announced by newly elected Congress governments in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, the Congress leader said farm loan waiver, whether it is good or bad politics is not the issue.
‘’Farm loan waiver today is imperative. In just one district of Maharashtra, in just one last week, 108 farmers committed suicide. There are 5.28 crore small and medium farmers who are indebted out of 10 crore farmer families. The average indebtedness of a small medium farmer family is between Rs 90,000 to RS 1 lakh. How will this farmer family will ever repay this loan,’’ he said.
He said the new Congress governments in the three states have responded to the dire needs of the situation.
On economists criticising the farm loan waiver by various State government saying that it would affect the economy, Mr Chidambaram retorted, ‘’Economists should go to farm land, purchase two acres of land and do farming for at least two years and then comment on farm loan waiver. They must experience what farming is in this country. Whether it is good or bad politics people will decide. Economists or technocrats cannot what is good or bad politics. They can only define the quality of economics. We must understand the plight of farmers today’’.
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