GST was passed with consensus: Piyush Goyal

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday slammed opposition parties for dubbing the roll out of Goods and Services Tax (GST) as ill-timed and said the tax reform was passed after every political party gave its nod.

"GST was introduced only after every part of this nation gave its nod. Country's 29 states and the Centre unanimously charted out the process, procedure and rate of GST," Goyal told the press in Ahmedabad.

Goyal further said that if the GST needs any reforms, the government is open for suggestions.

"The GST council discusses on every subject and then unanimously takes decision; in the last two-three meetings alone, many improvements were implemented," Goyal added.

Speaking on the issue of inflation, Goyal said that the track record of this government is similar to that of Atal Bihri Vajapyee's government (1998 to 2004).

Goyal added that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government that succeeded Vajpayee in 2004 had brought the inflation percentage to double digits in its ten year-tenure.

"People have forgotten that inflation had reached double digits during the UPA government's 10 years," Goyal said.