Marxists express concern over new tax regime

Our Correspondent 

Doraha, July 4

The Marxist Communist Party of India (United)  opines that the implementation of the GST is an unwanted change for people.

Prem Singh Bhangu, president, All India Kisan Federation, and Pawan Kumar Kaushal, Secretary, MCPI (U) Punjab State Committee, expressed concern on the implementation of the GST. They said it was a step taken by the government to vigorously pursue anti-people economic reforms which would benefit the big traders and corporates and would prove detrimental to the interests of people, especially farmers.

They stated that the creation of one nation, one market and one tax, and abolishing all restrictions and barriers on the movement of goods was in no way correct.

They said it was an attack on federalism which would impose burden of 18 to 20 per cent of the GST on people. Levying 28 per cent GST on all agricultural inputs and machinery parts would burden the farmers who were already reeling under heavy debt and were committing suicides, the MCPI (U) leaders said.

They said by doing this, the government had served the interests of multinationals and big industrialists. “It is a fact the economic reforms initiated in 1991 have increased the inequality in the country and resulted into concentration of wealth in a few hands. So the GST will further accelerate the process which is neither in the interest of the country nor in the interest of people,” said a leader.