Parliament witnessed a blistering GST debate as Abhishek Banerjee of TMC sparred with Nirmala Sitharaman. Undeterred by barbs, Banerjee posted a meticulous takedown on X, defending his data and unveiling taxes on essentials that pinch the poorest.
He acknowledged the minister’s focus on his words but called for equal concern for Bengal’s stalled scheme payments. With precision, he dismantled exemption myths.
Powdered milk for impecunious mothers: 5% GST. Classroom must-haves like graph books and crayons: 12%. Critical health inputs—insulin (5%), oxygen and anesthesia (12%). Even grief’s accompaniments, incense at 5%, while rites are free.
‘New India tags prices on pain,’ Banerjee lambasted, reeling off more: baby products (5-18%), stationery (12%), connectivity (18%), health kits (5%), petrol/diesel excises. These hit daily survival.
Sitharaman countered robustly: zero GST on milk, full education spectrum, stationery, treatments since inception; insurance zeroed recently; no funeral tax ever. Her syndicate ‘cut money’ dig at Bengal added spice.
Banerjee’s post amplifies critiques of GST’s design, arguing it favors the affluent while taxing necessities, setting the stage for broader fiscal policy scrutiny.