"Congress is an equal partner in GST decision and it should not spread lies about GST. The decision was not taken by Parliament or Narendra Modi. The decision was made by governments of all political parties, including the Congress governments of Punjab, Karnataka, and Meghalaya," Modi said.
He said the central government was "only the 30th part" in the decision which was taken in consultation with 29 states.
Modi said he has been in touch with businessmen after the launch of the GST and claimed they like the system because it has freed them from bureaucratic red tape.
He said, as promised, his government reviewed the way the new indirect tax regime was working after three months following which several changes were made to fulfil their demands.
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Modi also assured the business community that the government is trying to sort out problems they are still facing.
He also tried to assuage the concerns of the trading community about penal action they might face for their past accounting. The prime minister said a "fear psychosis" was being created over the issue.
Modi said businessmen will not need to adjust their past books to synchronise them with the new system.
He also attacked the Congress over observing November 8, the day demonetisation was announced last year, as "black day", something which his government would celebrate as "black money mukti diwas" (day of freedom from black money).
"So far we have shut down 2.10 lakh companies and there has been no protest or burning of Modi's effigy," he said.