Instead of taxing rich, Modi govt snatching measly morsel from mouth of the poor

All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) statement demanding roll back of imposition of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on essential items:

***

The All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) strongly denounces the decision of the Modi-led BJP government to impose GST on essential items. This notification imposing 5 percent GST on essential pre-packaged non-branded food commodities like rice, wheat, atta, pulses, curd, paneer, milk, jaggery, buttermilk and other such goods that were earlier exempt from taxation will intensify the misery of the people.
Already the repeated rise in cost of LPG cylinders, petrol and diesel, unbearable levels of inflation and rising food prices, and massive unemployment has made it extremely difficult for women to keep the home fires burning.
Food items like rice, wheat, pulses etc. and daily essentials like curd, paneer, meat, fish, jaggery were never taxed in these last 75 years. Ironically this decision to tax food items has been taken when India’s rating in the Global Hunger Index has been plummeting and now stands at 101 out of 116 countries.
GST has also been increased on crematorium charges, hospital rooms, writing ink etc. 18 per cent GST on bank cheques has to be paid even to withdraw one’s own savings from the bank account!
Gold purchases are taxed at 3 per cent, diamonds at 1.5 per cent, while food items have GST of 5 per cent or more. That itself betrays the character of this government. Instead of taxing the rich, the Modi government is snatching even the measly morsel from the mouths of the poor, which will further intensify starvation, malnutrition and hunger deaths. This is Modi government’s ‘gift’ to the people on the eve of our 75th Independence day!
We welcome the fact that the Chief Minister of Kerala has conveyed his strong objection to the central government. The state government has stated that it will not tax items sold by Kudumbashree or in small stores in 1 or 2 kg packets. The Kerala finance minister had opposed these proposals in the GST Council in November 2021 itself.
The AIDWA calls up on the people to stand united in the face of this assault and appeals to all democratically minded organisations mobilise people for opposing this anti-people measure. AIDWA also demands the immediate roll back of this unjust and shocking GST on essential items. AIDWA will hold protests all over the country on this assault on women’s lives by the Modi government.
---
Signed by Malini Bhattacharya, President; Mariam Dhawale, General Secretary

Comments

Gujarat Information Commission issues warning against misinterpretation of RTI orders

By A Representative The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has issued a press note clarifying that its orders limiting the number of Right to Information (RTI) applications for certain individuals apply only to those specific applicants. The GIC has warned that it will take disciplinary action against any public officials who misinterpret these orders to deny information to other citizens. The press note, signed by GIC Secretary Jaideep Dwivedi, states that the Right to Information Act, 2005, is a powerful tool for promoting transparency and accountability in public administration. However, the commission has observed that some applicants are misusing the act by filing an excessive number of applications, which disproportionately consumes the time and resources of Public Information Officers (PIOs), First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and the commission itself. This misuse can cause delays for genuine applicants seeking justice. In response to this issue, and in acc...

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

'MGNREGA crisis deepening': NSM demands fair wages and end to digital exclusions

By A Representative The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM), a coalition of independent unions of MGNREGA workers, has warned that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is facing a “severe crisis” due to persistent neglect and restrictive measures imposed by the Union Government.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

'Centre criminally negligent': SKM demands national disaster declaration in flood-hit states

By A Representative The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has urged the Centre to immediately declare the recent floods and landslides in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Haryana as a national disaster, warning that the delay in doing so has deepened the suffering of the affected population.

Saffron Kingdom – a cinematic counter-narrative to The Kashmir Files

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* “Saffron Kingdom” is a film produced in the United States by members of the Kashmiri diaspora, positioned as a response to the 2022 release “The Kashmir Files.” While the latter focused on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits and framed Kashmiri Muslims as perpetrators of violence, “Saffron Kingdom” seeks to present an alternate perspective—highlighting the experiences of Kashmiri Muslims facing alleged abuses by Indian security forces.

From lazy to lost? The myths and realities behind generational panic about youth

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak Older generations in many societies often describe the young with labels such as “lazy, unproductive, lost, anxious, depoliticised, unpatriotic or wayward.” Others see them as “social media, mobile phone and porn addicts.” Such judgments arise from a generational anxiety rooted in fears of losing control and from distorted perceptions about youth, especially in the context of economic crises, conflicts, and wars in which many young lives are lost.

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

Counterview

Search This Blog