PM implementing Cong's "Grand Stupid Thought": Rahul Gandhi

The Congress president Rahul Gandhi credited his party for “jolting” Modi to say that his government would try to tax “99 per cent” of all items at 18 per cent or below under the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Rahul said Modi was doing exactly what he had referred to as the “Grand Stupid Thought of the Congress".

"The Congress Party has finally jolted Narendra Ji from his deep slumber on Gabbar Singh Tax. Though still drowsy, he now wants to implement what he had earlier called the Congress Party’s, “Grand Stupid Thought”. Better late then never Narendra Ji!" tweeted Rahul.

At an event on Tuesday, Modi said: “Today, we are reaching the situation where 99 per cent of the things can be brought under 18 per cent or less tax. And we are moving in that direction. After that, half a per cent or one per cent luxury items will probably be left out of 18 per cent, including airplane purchases, buying a big car, alcohol, cigarettes and some things, which will not even be one per cent (of items)."

Former Union finance minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday said BJP/NDA's governance mantra was 'Leap before you look'. He said this was the reason for the damage caused by GST to businesses, especially MSMEs.

"Government says 99% of goods will be at 18 per cent GST. Belated wisdom. We should have started with 18 per cent as the standard rate," he tweeted.

"Having scrambled the egg needlessly when GST was introduced, Government is trying to unscramble it! Typical of NDA," he added.

After the BJP governments in Assam and Gujarat waived farm and other loans following the Congress' footsteps, Rahul had said: "The Congress party has managed to wake the CM's of Assam & Gujarat from their deep slumber. PM is still asleep. We will wake him up too."