Arun Jaitley responds to Rahul Gandhi Gabbar Singh Tax jibe with 2G, coal scam taunt

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley targeted Rahul Gandhi with a loaded political taunt over the latter's Gabbar Singh Tax jibe.

RAHUL SHRIVASTAVA  | Edited by Dev Goswami
New Delhi, October 25, 2017 | UPDATED 07:05 IST

Highlights

  • 1
    Those used to monumental scams will have objections to legitimate tax: Jaitley
  • 2
    Opposition's move to celebrate black day on Nov 8 shows their faith in cash economy: Jaitley
  • 3
    Jaitley also targeted the UPA government for the banking sector's NPAs mess.

Ahead of the Gujarat Assembly election, the war of words between Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and the Modi government is heating up.

During a recent speech in Gandhinagar, Rahul targeted the Modi government over the Goods and Services Tax, once again. The Gandhi scion, who is tipped to take over the Grand Old Party soon, labelled the tax regime 'Gabbar Singh Tax,' a phrase that delighted Twitter.

Never the one to let a jibe go unanswered, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley replied to Rahul Gandhi in kind, invoking the 2G spectrum and coal allocation scams that came to light during the previous Manmohan Singh government.

"Those who are used to monumental scams in 2G spectrum and coal allocation will have objections to legitimate tax," Jaitley said in a loaded political taunt on Tuesday, while announcing a grand plan to recapitalise public sector banks and increase government spending on infrastructure.

Continuing in the same vein, Jaitley went on to say that the political Opposition seemed to have "faith" in a cash economy. This was in response to Opposition parties announcing that it would observe a 'black day' on November 8, the same day last year when Prime Minister Narendra Modi sprung the demonetisation surprise.

"The move (to celebrate a black day on November 8) displays their (Opposition's) faith in (a) cash economy. The government will continue to insist on less cash economy. They (opposition) can definitely do it. Their faith in the cash economy will be on display with such celebration," Jaitley said.

"There was a period when public sector banks indulged in indiscriminate lending. A large chunk of those lending are the NPAs today. These NPAs were kept under the carpet," the finance minister said.

Jaitley went on to, once again, defend the roll out of the Goods and Services Tax regime.

"The launch of GST from July 1 has resulted in unified tax across the country and has helped in removing transport restrictions on the movement of goods resulting in their faster movement and help in creating common market, reduction in corruption and leakage and further help in Make in India programme," the finance minister said.

"GST is expected boost revenues, investment, and medium-term economic growth. Despite the teething troubles that the government and the GST Council are addressing, initial results in the form of revenue raised seem encouraging," Jaitley added.

The finance minister's comments were a seemingly attempt to invalidate the Opposition's criticism that the GST, coupled with last year's demonetisation, had massively hurt the Indian economy.

Led by a belligerent Rahul Gandhi the Congress seems to have made targeting the Modi government over GST implementation its political plank.

The war of words between the government and the opposition is expected to escalate and even threatens to derail the coming winter session of parliament which is likely to begin in the third week of November.