Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Arvind Dharmapuri said Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave Indians a “Navratri gift” through the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) reform. He addressed the media at the BJP district office in Nizamabad on Tuesday evening.
GST cuts seen as relief for middle class
Dharmapuri said the revised GST structure would benefit all sections of society, particularly middle-class families. He explained that GST on daily essentials dropped from 18 percent to 5 percent. Therefore, households would see major relief in daily expenses.
In addition, the tax on two-wheelers fell from 28 percent to 18 percent. Life and health insurance premiums would also decline under the new system. Moreover, Dharmapuri claimed the reform could push India’s GDP up by 1 percent.
Revenue loss justified as public welfare
The MP stated that the Centre would lose around ₹2 lakh crore in revenue. However, he argued that this sacrifice directly benefits the public. According to him, BJP considered this a celebration of welfare, while Congress focused only on government losses.
“BJP thinks about people’s welfare. Congress only thinks about its own benefit,” Dharmapuri remarked. Furthermore, he said the Modi government ensured transparency in taxation and delivered funds straight to citizens.
Record GST collections despite tax cuts
Dharmapuri said GST revenues still touched a record ₹22.08 lakh crore in 2024–25 despite lower rates. He explained that the funds supported welfare programmes such as 144 Vande Bharat trains, defence exports, railway modernisation, and free ration rice for 200 million people.
He argued that Congress governments had levied higher taxes in the past but gave little back to the people. By contrast, BJP, he said, reduced taxes and channelled revenues into welfare schemes.
Attack on Revanth Reddy and Congress
Turning to Telangana politics, Dharmapuri mocked Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. He described him as a product of “Modi school, Chandrababu college, and Sonia job training.”
He further accused Reddy of ignoring Telangana’s interests while supporting Karnataka on raising the Almatti project’s height. Dharmapuri alleged that Congress received funds from Karnataka during the Telangana elections. “Are you selling Telangana to Karnataka for money?” he asked.