Following the reduction of GST rates in the country, the Commercial Tax Department of Madhya Pradesh issued a gazette notification exempting beef from GST, effectively making it 0%. This move has sparked controversy, with Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari vehemently opposing the decision, claiming it promotes beef exports. He stated that the Congress party will strongly protest this decision.
On Tuesday, September 23rd, in Bhopal, Jitu Patwari held a press conference with priests, heavily criticizing the central and state governments. He alleged that the central government has exempted the meat of bovine animals from GST. He stated that while the government makes grand statements about cows, it simultaneously allows their slaughter. He announced that the state Congress will oppose this decision and will launch a state-wide protest on September 26-27.
Patwari emphasized that the Congress party will not allow cows to be slaughtered under any circumstances and will prevent beef exports. He accused the BJP of using the cow for votes while failing to protect them. He stated that India is the world’s largest exporter of beef, with records broken during PM Modi’s tenure.
The Congress leader also criticized the state government, alleging that it has become a haven for the mafia and that the Vallabh Bhavan has become a hub for them. He also recalled Rahul Gandhi’s description of GST as ‘Gabbar Singh Tax,’ which he said continues to harm the country’s economy. Patwari accused the Modi government of making decisions like demonetization and GST to benefit the rich.
Jitu Patwari declared that the faces of the ‘fake cow devotees’ would be exposed to the public. He stated that the Congress party will organize a movement that will include visiting all cow shelters. He added that Congress workers would take stray cows on the streets to the collector’s office.
In response, BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma refuted Patwari’s claims, stating that he did not find any such provision in the GST list. He also alleged that the Congress has ties with cow smugglers. BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma declared that those who slaughter cows have a place in jail.
Sharma clarified that the BJP government had already enacted a law in 2004 to stop cow slaughter. He criticized the Congress for not speaking on cow slaughter, especially considering instances in Kerala. He mentioned that the Congress government led by Kamal Nath, in which Jitu Patwari was a minister, was bringing laws in favor of cow smugglers and wanted to jail cow herders.
He further stated that Madhya Pradesh has a provision for 10 years of imprisonment for cow slaughter and smuggling, and that many smugglers and butchers are already in jail under this law.