The Congress's Kerala unit has set off a huge controversy with a social media tweet regarding the Centre's Goods and Services Tax (GST) policy reforms. In a deleted tweet on X, the party made light of "Bidis and Bihar start with B" and "cannot be considered a sin anymore," in reference to the recent reduction in tax on the tobacco item.
Repudiating the post, ex-Congress MP Raashid Alvi criticized the government's move to cut down taxes on bidis to 18 percent.
"The BJP has reduced taxes only because of the upcoming Bihar (assembly) elections," he told NDTV, calling the move "very unfortunate".
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary denounced the post as "an insult to the entire Bihar."
"First, the insult to the revered mother of our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and now the insult to the entire Bihar— this is the true character of the Congress, which is repeatedly being exposed before the country," he wrote on X.
Sanjay Kumar Jha, a member of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United (JDU), described it as "another extremely shameful act" by Congress.
"Let me tell you that B doesn't just mean bidi, it also means buddhi (intellect), which you lack. B also means budget, which makes you jealous when Bihar receives special assistance," he posted on X in Hindi.
"By making a mockery of Bihar, the Congress has not only insulted the people of Bihar once again, but has also mocked the glorious history of the country and democracy," the Rajya Sabha MP added.
"Believe me, the great people of Bihar will give a befitting reply to the repeated insults by the Congress in the upcoming assembly elections," he said, referring to polls due in November-December this year.
BJP national spokesman Shehzad Poonawalla also attacked Congress, stating the post is representative of the party's "anti-Bihar mentality."
"If they're saying B for Bidis and B for Bihar, then they should also know C for Congress and C for corruption," Mr Poonawalla said in a video statement.
Bidis will now face 18 percent tax, compared to the earlier 28 percent, according to new rates cleared by the GST Council on Wednesday.
The council also cut duty on bidi wrapper leaves, or tendu, to 5 percent from 18 percent.
Moreover, the GST regime will be made simpler from four slabs of 5, 12, 18, and 28 percent to only two slabs of 5 and 18 percent. A special 40 percent slab will be charged on certain commodities like tobacco and cigarettes.
Read also| Eight Opposition States Back Reducing GST Rate Slabs, Says Congress
