TRS leader KT Rama Rao has taken a strong exception to GST being exempted for the transfer of Jaipur international airport operations by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to the Adani group. On Monday, KTR described it as a Revdi (meaning freebie) by the Narendra Modi government to Gautam Adani's business empire.
The Telangana Minister lamented that ordinary Indians have to pay GST even on basic items like milk and curd. On the other hand, "extraordinary Indians like Adani" don't have to pay GST even when they get an "Airport on a platter with tailor-made policies."
Critics are arguing that KTR's criticism is unprincipled. Taxation expert Ajay Rotti pointed out that the sale of a business as a going concern doesn't attract GST even in Telangana. "This is a perfectly sensible tax ruling. If by some logic you feel that GST is owed on this transaction then by the same logic you will also pay GST on the transfer of ownership of land or any other movable or immovable property," reasoned Rishabh Mukherjee, supporting the GST law as it exists now.
