Rahul Gandhi accuses government of giving a free rein to monopolies with flawed policies

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday (December 24, 2025), alleged that the government has given a free rein to monopolies while keeping small traders in bureaucratic chains with their flawed policies, like incorrect implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

In a post on X, Mr. Gandhi shared a six-minute clip of his conversation with representatives of the Vaishya community who traditionally form the core of the business community in the country.

“’Our business is on the brink of collapse’ — this anguished cry from the Vaishya community in the business dialogue has truly shaken us to the core. The very community that has historically contributed so much to the nation’s economy is now in despair today,” Mr. Gandhi said in a post on X. He added that this is a warning bell of danger.

“The government has given free rein to monopolies, and shackled small and medium traders with the chains of bureaucracy and flawed policies like incorrect GST. This is not just a policy failure — it is a direct assault on production, employment, and India’s future,” he said, adding that it is a fight against the “feudal mindset” of the BJP government.

The business persons who met Mr. Gandhi came from a wide range of industries, including footwear manufacturing, agricultural products, industrial electricals, paper and stationery, travel, stone cutting, chemicals and hardware.

Expressing deep concern over the economic policies of the Modi government, the representatives alleged that the policies constitute a direct attack on small traders, MSMEs and India’s production-based economy. They asserted that this is not a policy failure but a deliberately designed conspiracy aimed at benefiting a handful of corporate houses while pushing crores of businesses to the brink of ruin.

During the dialogue, representatives claimed that the GST regime has become an instrument of oppression rather than reform. A major concern raised by these businesses was the inverted duty structure, which they described as an “eyewash”. By increasing GST on raw materials while reducing it on finished products, the government creates an illusion of consumer relief, they said.

The representatives further alleged that “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” has proven to be an empty rhetoric as India more than ever is dependent on China.