Shashi Tharoor and Rahul Gandhi Protest Against 18% GST on Life and Health Insurance
New Delhi [India], August 6: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has voiced strong opposition to the 18% GST on life and health insurance premiums. He argued that such essential services should not be taxed, especially in a country with high out-of-pocket health expenses. Tharoor stated, ‘You can’t impose GST on something as essential as life insurance. The government has announced a policy of life insurance and health insurance for all by 2047, and now they are taxing in such a way that there is no possibility to ever do that.’
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari also criticized the tax, saying, ‘If a person is unwell or has met with an accident, he is struggling and you are taxing such a person. Looting a struggling person like this is wrong.’
On Tuesday, leaders of the INDIA alliance, including Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, held a protest outside the Makar Dwar in the Parliament, demanding the rollback of the GST on health and life insurance.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also requested the central government to withdraw the GST on these premiums. In a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, she termed the tax ‘anti-people’ and warned that it could deter individuals from taking new policies or continuing their existing coverage, leaving them vulnerable to financial distress.
Doubts Revealed
Shashi Tharoor -: Shashi Tharoor is a member of the Indian Parliament and a leader in the Congress party. He often speaks about important issues in India.
Rahul Gandhi -: Rahul Gandhi is also a member of the Indian Parliament and a leader in the Congress party. He is known for his efforts to improve the lives of people in India.
18% GST -: GST stands for Goods and Services Tax. It is a tax that people have to pay when they buy certain goods and services. 18% GST means that 18% of the price of life and health insurance premiums is added as tax.
Life and Health Insurance -: Life insurance is a policy that gives money to a person’s family if they pass away. Health insurance helps pay for medical expenses when someone gets sick or injured.
Congress MP -: MP stands for Member of Parliament. Congress is a major political party in India. So, a Congress MP is a person who is a member of the Indian Parliament from the Congress party.
Pramod Tiwari -: Pramod Tiwari is another member of the Indian Parliament from the Congress party. He also spoke against the 18% GST on insurance.
West Bengal CM -: CM stands for Chief Minister. The Chief Minister is the head of the government in a state. Mamata Banerjee is the Chief Minister of West Bengal, a state in India.
Mamata Banerjee -: Mamata Banerjee is the Chief Minister of West Bengal. She is a strong leader and often speaks out on issues affecting the people.
Anti-people -: Anti-people means something that is not good for the general public. Mamata Banerjee called the 18% GST on insurance ‘anti-people’ because she believes it is unfair to the people.
INDIA alliance -: The INDIA alliance is a group of political parties in India that have come together to work on common goals. Leaders from this alliance, including Rahul Gandhi, protested against the 18% GST.
Parliament -: Parliament is the place where laws are made in India. It is like a big meeting place where elected leaders discuss and decide on important issues.
Rollback -: Rollback means to cancel or reverse a decision. In this case, the leaders are asking the government to cancel the 18% GST on life and health insurance.
