<h1>State party president says PM takes credit for GST cuts but dodged responsibility for high 2017 GST burden</h1> A state party president accused the Prime Minister of claiming credit for recent GST rate cuts while failing to accept responsibility for allegedly imposing excessively high GST rates in 2017 that doubled collections and burdened consumers and small businesses over eight years. Opposition figures called the earlier regime a 'loot' through high taxes, questioned delays in relief (including on petrol and diesel), and criticized the Prime Minister's promotion of 'swadeshi' while using foreign-made goods. A state party spokesperson highlighted the Prime Minister's past opposition to GST as a former chief minister and queried who obstructed earlier reforms; a coalition minister's purchase of an imported car was cited as hypocrisy.