GST reform benefits the poor: Nirmala Sitharaman hits back at Congress, says party only spreads "negativity and baseless criticism"

New Delhi [India], September 21 (ANI): Slamming the opposition for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said Congress and its eco-system only spread "negativity and baseless criticism."

Marking the commencement of the #NextGenGST as #GSTBachatUtsav PM @narendramodi ji’s address to the nation had several messages. Unfortunate, that despite a positive and direction-setting address, our opposition party @INCIndia and its SM eco-system spread negativity and baseless…

— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) September 21, 2025

"Marking the commencement of the #NextGenGST as #GSTBachatUtsav PM@narendramodiji's address to the nation had several messages. Unfortunate, that despite a positive and direction-setting address, our opposition party@INCIndiaand its SM eco-system spread negativity and baseless criticism. #NextGenGST is a people-centric reform.Here are the messages from our PM's address," the post read.
Further in the post, Sitharaman wrote on the benefits of the reforms and stated that India should be 'Atmanirbhar', highlighting the need for local manufacturing and also called out the need to become equal partners in the growth of the country.
"1. GST reform benefits the poor, the middle class, new middle class, yuva, kisan,women, shopkeepers and udhyami 2. Nagrik Devo Bhava is a strong focus 3. India should be #AtmanirbharBharat 4. We should be proud of swadeshi--"Garv se kaho, ye swadeshi hai" 5. Support local manufacturing 6. Emphasises on cooperative federalism 7. Calls on states to become equal partners in growth 8. We should all work to accelerate growth, make it easy for business to function and be attractive for investment 9. Such a big tax reform became possible by taking all states together, since 2017," the post further read.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced the implementation of the next-generation Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms from September 22, marking what he called a major step towards the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
Addressing the nation ahead of the rollout, PM Modi said the reforms would usher in a countrywide "GST Bachat Utsav," benefiting poor, middle-class, farmers, traders, and entrepreneurs alike.
"From the sunrise of the very first day of Navratri, the nation is taking another important and major step towards the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Tomorrow, on the first day of Navratri, September 22, along with the rising of Suryadev, the Next Generation GST Reforms will come into effect," he said. (ANI)