West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday called the Goods and Services Tax a “Great Selfish Tax to harass people and finish the economy”.
On Twitter, she criticised the Narendra Modi government’s new tax regime as well as its decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in November 2016.
Banerjee called the note ban exercise a “disaster” and asked social media users to change their profile pictures to black, as a mark of protest on November 8 – a year since the government announced its decision.
The West Bengal chief minister is not the first to mock the Goods and Services Tax. On October 23, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said while campaigning in poll-bound Gujarat that the GST was actually “Gabbar Singh Tax” that was affecting small traders across the country.
Opposition parties will observe November 8 as a “Black Day” in protest against the government’s demonetisation exercise.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!