GST might have flaws, but we just can't damn it now: Nirmala Sitharaman

New Delhi, Oct 11: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday admitted that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has flaws but also stated that it can't be damned as it has become law of the country.

"We can't just damn it. It's been passed in Parliament and every state Assembly. It might have its flows, it might have been giving you difficulties, but I am sorry it's a 'kanoon' (law) of the country now. I would appeal to you all to work together and make sure we have a better (GST) framework if it's giving problems now," the Finance Minister was quoted saying by ANI.

FM Sitharaman was replying to the concerns raised by taxation industry professionals here, who said the industry was "cursing" the government over how the GST was implemented.

"Suddenly we cannot say, what a goddamn structure is this (Goods & Service Tax). I wished from day one that it met with your satisfaction but I am sorry that it did not," Sitharaman said.

Sitharaman took to Twitter to state that a participant from the audience spoke completely deriding the GST. "I had halted him to say that he's welcome to give suggestions and on his request to meet me with a delegation, gave him 23rd Oct '19 even from the dais," she tweeted.

Request @ANI to upload the question too, wherein a participant from the audience spoke completely deriding #GST. Had halted him to say that he’s welcome to give suggestions & on his request to meet me with a delegation, gave him 23rd Oct ‘19 even from the dais. @FinMinIndia https://t.co/T1r85r0KZl

— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) October 11, 2019

Billed as the biggest reform in indirect taxation, the goods & services tax, which does away with a host of levies from the federal to the local government levels, was implemented in July 2017.