Piyush Goyal hits back at Ramesh: GST reforms citizen-centric, Congress opposes growth

September 22, 2025

New Delhi: In a strong rebuke to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh for calling GST a “Growth-Suppressing Tax.” Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said the “citizen-centric reform” will strengthen businesses but for the Congress, a rising Bharat will “always be an impediment to its narrow agenda of dynastic politics and failed economics.”

In a post shared on X, the Union Minister said, “Before GST, India’s indirect tax system was a chaotic web, with every state having its own rates, levies, and procedures. Businesses struggled with cascading taxes, endless paperwork, and high compliance costs. In short, doing business in India had become expensive and exhausting.”

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Goyal said, “It was PM Modi ji who understood these challenges and delivered what Congress only talked about – a single national market with common rates and procedures.”

Highlighting the achievements of GST, the Union Minister noted that the system has curbed tax evasion, expanded the tax base, and largely formalised the economy. “Since then, GST has created a transparent system that curbed evasion, expanded the tax base, largely formalised the economy, delivered record revenues, empowering states, and boosting investor and business confidence.”

Turning to the recently announced next gen GST reforms, Goyal described them as “another leap forward.” ” These reforms are not just about reducing tax rates, but about creating a virtuous cycle of growth. Lower prices will lead to higher demand and household savings, and reduced input costs will make MSMEs more competitive,” he added.

Calling next-gen GST reforms a “true cooperative federalism and citizen-centric reform,” Goyal said that it strengthens businesses and aligns India with its global growth ambitions.

Taking a dig at the Opposition, he said, “But for the Congress, a rising Bharat will always be an impediment to its narrow agenda of dynastic politics and failed economics.

Earlier today, the Congress criticised PM Modi’s address on GST reforms and said that the party has long argued that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a Growth-Suppressing Tax and that the current reforms are inadequate. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the PM claiming ownership of the recent amendments to the GST regime.

Also read;