Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the Narendra Modi government of being insensitive to the disabled by imposing tax on aids and assistive devices. He also demanded a full rollback of what he called the “disability tax”.
“GST on disability aids like wheelchairs and Braille typewriters, once again shows this government’s complete insensitivity towards our most vulnerable,” Gandhi said on Twitter. “Congress Party demands a full roll back of this ‘disability tax’ that will put millions of our disabled people through further hardship.”
Under the Goods and Services Tax rates, carriages, wheelchairs and other assistive devices for the disabled fall under the 5% tax slab. Braille paper and hearing aids have been placed in the 12% tax slab and an 18% tax has been imposed on Braille typewriters. Before July 1 – when the GST was rolled out – there were no custom or excise duty on these goods.
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