Has Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pulled out the ultimate political silencer with her latest GST rate cuts? Judging by the deafening silence from the otherwise hyper-vocal Opposition, especially the Congress, it seems the answer is yes. Wednesday night’s announcement has left even the usual motormouths scrambling for words. For once, they can’t figure out what to oppose.
The Modi government has always claimed that it stands firmly with the middle class and agricultural families—the twin engines of India’s growth story. They form not just the heart of the consumer economy but also a large share of tax contributors.
By slashing GST into simplified slabs—5%, 18%, and a “sin tax” of 40% on tobacco and related products—the government has finally delivered something tangible. The middle-class household, long squeezed between rising costs and stagnant wages, now finds some breathing space. And farmers, often promised relief by successive governments, see at least some recognition that their consumption and livelihood need nurturing, not punishing. So why the stunned silence from the Opposition? After all, just a few days ago, they were waxing eloquent about how GST was a “Gabbar Singh Tax” destroying small businesses.
They cried hoarse about how states would lose revenue if GST rates were cut further. Yet, when the announcement came, and the markets responded with a sharp upward swing—the Sensex rallying, investor sentiment turning positive—the critics suddenly turned into monks observing maun vrat. Even Rahul Gandhi, who never misses an opportunity to tweet snide one-liners, seems to have misplaced his phone. Let’s be honest: Congress has painted itself into a corner. For years, they have accused the Modi government of being pro-rich, ignoring the common man, and centralising decision-making at the cost of states.
But the GST Council, chaired by the Finance Minister and comprising representatives of all states, took the decision collectively. Every Chief Minister—Congress or BJP—was on board. So how does one oppose something their own governments have agreed to? If they do, they look like hypocrites. If they stay quiet, they look irrelevant.
The irony is delicious. The same Opposition which shouted about “federalism being under threat” now has to admit that the Centre and states acted in harmony. The same leaders who claimed GST was a disaster must now acknowledge that simplification into two slabs is a masterstroke long overdue. And the same doomsayers predicting investor flight must explain why Dalal Street cheered instead. Of course, let’s not romanticise too much. India still faces inflationary pressures, global economic uncertainty, and the eternal challenge of plugging tax leakages.
Revenue-sharing between the Centre and states will continue to spark friction. But the message from this GST cut is clear: the government is willing to take bold, populist yet pragmatic steps that directly touch the lives of average Indians. That is what unnerves the Opposition the most. The Congress, reduced to nitpicking about compensation to states, looks less like a constructive Opposition and more like a sulking student who lost the debate but still wants to argue over grammar.
If they had a coherent economic vision beyond handouts and sloganeering, they could have countered Sitharaman’s move with alternatives. Instead, they are left blinking as markets, taxpayers, and even state governments seem relieved. For Prime Minister Modi, the optics couldn’t be better. Here is a policy tweak that is technical in design but political in impact. It strikes at the core of middle-class anxieties, acknowledges farmer distress, boosts investor confidence, and leaves the Opposition dumbfounded.
That’s not just economic reform—it’s political theatre executed with surgical precision. As things stand, the GST cut is not just a fiscal decision. It is a narrative changer. It tells the middle class: “We hear you.” It reassures the farmer: “You matter.” It signals to the markets: “We are serious about growth.” And it tells the Opposition: “Complain if you dare—but this time, you’ll be arguing against your own voters.” No wonder the silence is golden.
