National
Gujarat polls not a referendum on implementation of GST: Trinamool Congress
New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien says that Gujarat assembly elections should not be seen as a referendum on the impelementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
O’Brien, the national spokesperson of Trinamool Congress and its leader in the Rajya Sabha, also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was playing to “Gujarati pride” in next month’s Gujarat assembly poll and not focusing on development.
“Why should any election be a referendum? This is the home player playing in his home state. `I am one of you, how can you insult me’ – so now you are playing to Gujarati pride. Come and play on development, come and answer question on jobs, under-performance, demonetisation, GST and economy, O’Brien told IANS in an interview.
He was asked if the assembly poll in Gujarat, the first assembly election being held after the GST was rolled out on July 1, should be seen as a referendum on the way it had been implemented.
The opposition has been accusing the government of flawed implementation of GST. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has consistently raked up the issue in his campaign in Gujarat, referring to it as “Gabbar Singh Tax.”
Following perception about unease among small traders over some of stipulations concerning GST, the Modi government has eased filing norms. Decisions have also been taken to reduce the rate on 50 items of mass consumption from 28 per cent to 18 per cent besides providing relief to exporters.
O’Brien’s first political book `Inside Parliament: Views From The Front Row’, which was released last week, has a chapter on GST titled ‘Far From a good and simple tax.”
The book says that in countries like Germany and Japan, businesses were given at least one year of trial and adjustments before transitioning to a new tax system.
“In India, the prime minister and his BJP ministers learn on the job and they want the rest of the country to learn as they go along,” it says.
On the GST roll-back, the book says : “We noted with great amusement the ‘khakra special’ GST rollback announced weeks before the Gujarat elections.”
Asked about the outcome of Gujarat elections, O’Brien said it has to be as to be seen in the context of results of 2014 Lok Sabha polls in the state where BJP secured about 60 percent votes and Congress about 33 percent.
“The 2017 election has to be judged on that,” he said.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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