Jaipur, Jan 9 (PTI) Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday said though the Income Tax and GST collection saw an increase of 240 per cent and 170 per cent in the last five years, their benefits have not trickled down to the people.

He said the middle class and the poor have been hurt the most because of the Goods and Services Tax in the country.

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He said that the BJP led government at the Centre talks about 'One Nation-One Tax' but has three slabs of taxes on popcorn.

"If you talk to any shopkeeper or customer in the whole country, they are troubled by the GST. The entire middle class, low income group and traders are suffering due to the GST. The tax which was supposed to be the simplest has become the most difficult tax," Khera told reporters at a press conference here today.

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He was here as a part of AICC's initiative to raise the issue ahead of Budget Session in Parliament.

"GST is 'Gabbar Sitharaman Tax'. Everyone is facing issues because of this. This tax should have made things simpler but instead it's doing the just opposite," he said.

He claimed that it's been 90 months since the GST implementation in the country and almost every day a new order related to the tax has been issued to clarify things.

He said that 50 per cent of the population paid 64 per cent of the GST in the country whereas 3 per cent rich paid only 10 per cent GST. There are a total of nine GST slabs and it is for the first time that equipment and tractors of the farmers have come under the GST ambit, he said.

Khera also claimed that GST evasion which was Rs 1 lakh crore in 2022-23 doubled in the fiscal year 2023-24.

Replying to a question on INDIA bloc, Khera said that the alliance fought the Lok Sabha election collectively and stopped Prime Minister Narendra Modi from having his dream of 420 seats fulfilled.

"India alliance was a national level alliance and it is still there. States have different situations. In Punjab and Delhi, our units have decided to fight alone. So, it is not a matter to be perplexed," he said.

Khera also accused Modi of being cowardly, saying he did not call any press conference in 11 years.

"He did not call any press conference in 11 years, cannot speak a word without teleprompter, does not allow farmers to enter Delhi, gets afraid of youths protests, does not sit in Parliament. If he is not a coward then what is he?" Khera said.

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