'Not Gabbar Singh Tax but God-Sent Tax': Assam CM Himanta Sarma hails taxpayers for Operation Sindoor success, takes jab at Congress

NEW DELHI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took a jibe at leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his criticism of the NDA government's Goods and Services Tax (GST) move even as the entire opposition, including the Congress, have backed the government in its war against terror and has refrained from playing politics on the issue. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader connected it to Operation Sindoor which used Rafale jets and S-400 systems bought with taxpayers' money as he dubbed it as "God-Sent Tax"."Rafale jets and S-400 systems don’t just appear — they are built on the strength of our taxpayers. That’s why GST was never a “Gabbar Singh Tax” — it’s a ‘God-Sent Tax’that unites India and funds its security, growth, and resilience," he said in a post on X.GST was a major tax reform move introduced by the BJP-led Centre in 2017 which was termed as "good and simple tax" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, hours after the announcement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned its impact on small and medium businesses dubbing it as "Gabbar Singh Tax".Since then, the opposition has maintained its stance against the Tax and vowed to repeal it once it comes to power again.In a social media post, the chief minister shared a graphic detailing Pakistan’s recent failed attempts to strike multiple Indian locations, praising the Indian Armed Forces for successfully thwarting the attacks. According to the post, between May 7 and 9, Pakistan launched coordinated efforts to target military installations across northern and western India, including sites in Awantipora, Jammu, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Srinagar, Bhilai, Phalodi, and Chandigarh. The chief minister commended India’s defence systems for their swift and effective response in neutralizing the threats.