Jabalpur: Digvijay Singh in a press conference in Jabalpur on Monday expressed his disapproval of the central government's decision to levy five per cent GST on pre-packed food items, but the exemption of the same on products such as meat and liquor.
He argued that including pre-packed labelled products such as meat (except frozen), fish, curd, paneer, honey, dried leguminous vegetables, dried makhana, wheat and other cereals, wheat or meslin flour, jaggery, puffed rice (muri) in the purview of GST will further amount to price rise. "Government is increasing GST on food items, but not levying GST on liquor and meat", said the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
Singh questioned the exemption of meat and liquor from the list of taxed items and the increased scope of GST on food items. He lashed out at the central government saying that soon GST will be imposed on air and water in the country. He also targeted the BJP's decision to discontinue public welfare schemes. He remarked, "BJP has formed a government on the basis of such kind of schemes and now it is talking about discontinuing the same schemes."
Also read: GST on essential items after states sought levy, aimed to check evasion: Official
Digvijay Singh was in Jabalpur for the release of a book written by former MP Rameshwar Nikhara. In the press meet, he avoided commenting on the matter of cross-voting in the recent Presidential election. He said that cross-voting is a matter of investigation and he will discuss this issue with the Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Govind Singh.
