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Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge Slams Modi Govt For Delay In GST Reforms, Calls Simplification Long Overdue

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New Delhi: Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday criticised the Modi government over the delay in implementing GST reforms, saying it was a “good thing” that the Centre has finally “woken up” after eight years, even as he asserted that the Opposition had consistently demanded the simplification of indirect taxes.

The GST Council has recently cleared sweeping changes in the tax regime, reducing the number of slabs and cutting rates on a wide range of essential goods and services.

Under the revised framework, two primary slabs of 5 per cent and 18 per cent will remain, along with a higher 40 per cent rate for sin goods. Goods earlier taxed at 12 per cent and 28 per cent will largely shift into the two main slabs, with the government claiming this will ease the burden on households.

Reacting to the move, Kharge took to X and posted, “For nearly a decade, the Indian National Congress has been demanding the simplification of GST. The Modi government turned ‘One Nation, One Tax’ into ‘One Nation, 9 Taxes.’ Which included Tax Slabs of 0 per cent, 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent, 28 per cent and special rates of 0.25 per cent, 1.5 per cent, 3 per cent, and 6 per cent.”

He said the Congress had already proposed GST 2.0 with a “simple and rational” tax system in its 2019 and 2024 manifestos and had demanded simplification of GST compliances, which, he stated, had “severely affected” MSMEs and small businesses.

Kharge recalled that the idea of GST was first introduced by the Congress-UPA government in 2005, and when the GST Bill was presented in 2011 by then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, it was opposed by the BJP.

“When Modi Ji was the Chief Minister, he vehemently opposed GST,” he added.

Kharge accused the present government of hypocrisy, saying, “Today, the same BJP government celebrates record GST collections, as if collecting tax from the common people was some great achievement.”

He further claimed that “for the first time in the country’s history,” taxes were imposed on farmers.

“This Modi government had imposed GST on at least 36 items in the agricultural sector. Milk-curd, flour-grains, and even children’s pencils, books, oxygen, insurance, and hospital expenses — on everyday things like these, the Modi government has imposed GST tax. That’s why we named this BJP’s GST the ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’,” he said.

Kharge also stated that the burden of GST is disproportionately borne by ordinary citizens.

“Two-thirds of the total GST, i.e., 64 per cent, comes from the pockets of the poor and middle class, but only 3 per cent of GST is collected from billionaires, while the Corporate Tax rate has been reduced from 30 per cent to 22 per cent,” he professed.

Highlighting revenue trends, he asserted that in the last five years, there has been a 240 per cent rise in Income Tax collection and a 177 per cent increase in GST collection.

“It is a good thing that, even if 8 years late, the Modi government’s ‘Kumbhakarniya’ sleep regarding GST has finally broken, and they have spoken about Rate Rationalisation upon waking,” Kharge stated.

The Congress President also demanded that states be fully compensated for five years, taking 2024-25 as the base year, given the likelihood of reduced revenues due to lower tax rates.

“The complex Compliances of GST must also be eliminated; only then will MSMEs and small industries truly benefit,” he said.

Crime

TN cough syrup samples adulterated; production halted after child deaths in MP, Rajasthan

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Chennai, Oct 4: Authorities have detected adulteration in samples of cough syrups produced by a city-based pharmaceutical company, prompting an immediate halt in production and intensifying regulatory action after recent child deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Officials from the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) confirmed that test results of syrups collected during an inspection at the firm’s manufacturing unit in Sunguvarchathram, Kancheepuram district, revealed the medicines were adulterated.

The company has been ordered to explain the findings and cease production until further notice.

The crackdown follows the Tamil Nadu government’s statewide ban on the cough syrup brand Coldrif, enforced from October 1, after concerns that the medicine may have been linked to the death of at least 11 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan due to suspected kidney failure.

Health authorities have also cleared stocks of the syrup from the local market to prevent further risk.

According to officials, the same manufacturer had supplied its cough syrups to multiple states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Puducherry, raising concerns about the reach of the potentially unsafe product.

Samples collected last week were sent to state-run laboratories for detailed analysis, and the initial results confirmed contamination.

The ripple effect of the safety scare has been felt across states. On Saturday, the Madhya Pradesh government announced a ban on the sale of Coldrif after nine child deaths were reported since September 7 due to suspected renal failure.

At least 13 children, including cases from Chhindwara and Nagpur, remain under treatment. In Rajasthan, the crisis has triggered administrative action.

The state government suspended its Drug Controller, Rajaram Sharma, following allegations of influencing the process of drug quality determination.

The Rajasthan Medical and Health Department has also halted the supply of 19 medicines manufactured by Jaipur-based Kaysons Pharma until further review and safety clearance.

Health experts say the episode underscores gaps in quality control and the urgent need for stricter oversight of pharmaceutical production and distribution.

Authorities in Tamil Nadu are expected to intensify inspections of local drug makers and coordinate with other states to track and recall any potentially unsafe consignments.

With public safety concerns mounting, officials said further updates on the manufacturer’s explanation and long-term corrective measures will follow once investigations conclude.

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Crime

Mumbai Cybercrime: 52-Year-Old Police Constable Posted At Bandra Kurla Complex Loses ₹94,103 In Online Fraud

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Mumbai: A police constable attached to the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) police station was cheated of Rs 94,103 in an online fraud. The complainant, Constable Sachin Chavan, 52, fell victim when a caller falsely claimed to have mistakenly transferred Rs 30,000 into his account and requested the amount back.

According to the FIR, Chavan, posted at the BKC police station for the past six months, received the call on September 9 at 7.46 pm. The caller said the money was meant for a hospital and asked him to keep the line active while checking bank messages. Chavan then found a message confirming Rs 30,000 had been credited. The caller provided an account number, asking him to first transfer Rs 5,000 and promising further details for the balance.

Chavan transferred Rs 5,000 and shared a screenshot. Soon after, the caller sent a link, instructing him to press it twice and enter a code. Chavan complied, resulting in Rs 77,091 and later Rs 12,012 being debited from his account. A case was registered under sections 318(4) (cheating) and 319(2) (cheating by personation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, on October 1.

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National News

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut Urges PM Modi To Announce Relief For Flood-Affected Farmers During His Mumbai Visit

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Pune: MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Mumbai, should announce assistance for farmers who faced losses due to the recent floods in Maharashtra.

Speaking to reporters here, Raut said the Central government should have declared a relief package for farmers.

Earlier this week, Fadnavis said that rains and floods had damaged 60 lakh hectares of land in Maharashtra, as per the initial estimate, and the government has decided to extend all benefits and measures usually provided during drought to the affected people.

He, however, didn’t declare a “wet drought” as demanded by the Opposition, saying no such provision exists in the official manual.

Raut said, “A relief package for farmers should have been announced from Delhi. The prime minister should announce assistance for flood-affected farmers during his visit to Mumbai.”

He further slammed Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam over his claims about a delay in the announcement of party founder Bal Thackeray’s death in 2012.

“Ramdas Kadam was never a trustworthy person. Uddhav Thackeray got him elected to the legislative council twice. What contributions have Neelam Gorhe and Kadam made to the party? They should be grateful to Uddhav Thackeray,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.

Kadam on Thursday claimed that Bal Thackeray’s body was kept at his Mumbai home for two days before the announcement of his death in 2012.

He also alleged that the party founder’s fingerprints were taken after his death.

Raut said, “I was present during Balasaheb’s final moments. Kadam’s claim is an example of how low a person can stoop for position and money. Those who have left the party can never remain loyal to Balasaheb or truly consider him their guiding figure.”

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