GST Council Meets "Toxic": Bengal Minister Writes To Nirmala Sitharaman

Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra on June 13 alleged that his voice was "muzzled" during the GST Council meeting on that day and his opposition to levy taxes on Covid essentials was not heard.

Stating that GST council meetings have become "almost toxic" with the erosion of trust between the Centre and states, West Bengal Minister Amit Mitra on Wednesday urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to consider a "course correction" to rebuild faith. In a letter to Ms Sitharaman, the state's Finance Minister also claimed that the central government comes to GST council meetings with a "predetermined conclusion". Mr Mitra on June 13 alleged that his voice was "muzzled" during the GST Council meeting on that day and his opposition to levy taxes on Covid essentials like vaccines, masks, PPE kits and anti-viral drug Remdesivir, was not heard. "What pains me most is the fact that GST Council meetings have become acrimonious, vexing and almost toxic with erosion of mutual trust that had held fast between state and the Centre since the inception of the GST Council," he said in the letter.