Modi government's plans on GST belated wisdom, says Chidambaram

New Delhi : Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Wednesday termed as "belated wisdom" Prime Minister Narendra Modis remarks that 99 per cent goods would be at 18 per cent GST and said that the ruling BJPs governance mantra is 'leap before you look.'

In a series of tweets, the former finance minister said the government had scrambled the egg needlessly when GST was introduced and was now trying to unscramble it,

He said GST should have been implemented with 18 per cent as standard rate.

"Government says 99 per cent of goods will be at 18 per cent GST. Belated wisdom. We should have started with 18 per cent as the standard rate. Having scrambled the egg needlessly when GST was introduced, government is trying to unscramble it! Typical of NDA.

"BJP/NDA governance mantra is 'leap before you look'. Which is the reason for the damage caused by GST to businesses, especially MSMEs," he said.

Modi had said at an event in Mumbai on Tuesday that the government was aiming to bring 99 per cent of items below the 18 per cent GST slab.