New Delhi, Sep 29 (PTI) Dismissing the Opposition’s criticism of his government’s GST measures as lies of “bayan bahadur”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the BJP-NDA ushered in a “new model of good governance” and a family will now save nearly Rs 20,000 on its annual household expenditure of Rs 1 lakh compared to the UPA period.

Speaking at the inauguration of Delhi BJP headquarters here, Modi asked party workers to ensure that the benefits of next-generation GST reforms reach people, especially in opposition-ruled states, asserting that the decision, along with the rise in Income Tax exemption, will save citizens Rs 2.5 lakh crore every year.

He accused the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh of indulging in “loot” by hiking the levy on cement soon after GST relief brought its price down, as he hit back at the Opposition for the criticism of his dispensation.

These “bayan bahadur” (those big on making rhetorical statements) are experts in peddling lies every day, he said.

Modi said Rs 25,000 of the Rs 1,00,000 spent by a family every year on meeting its regular needs used to go to taxes under the Congress-led UPA government, and this figure is now merely Rs 5,000-6,000. A family will now save nearly Rs 20,000, he told BJP workers.

The Opposition has slammed the Modi government, saying it continued to impose high taxes on people for several years since the GST was rolled out in 2017, before rationalising the indirect tax regime recently.

The prime minister said the "BJP-NDA governments have given a new model of 'sushasan' in the country".

"We are moving forward with the mantra of 'vikas bhi, virasat bhi'. We prioritised the security of the country and the people, we freed the country from scams to give confidence for a decisive fight against corruption," the prime minister said.

"Our governments focused on delivery and increasing the savings of common people," he said, noting that the Income Tax exemption limit was only Rs 2,00,000 during the UPA rule, while it is Rs 12,00,000 now.

Asking BJP workers to reach out to customers as well as traders for promoting swadeshi, Modi appealed for reducing the country’s dependence on foreign goods.

“The less our dependence on foreign products is, the better it will be,” he said, reiterating a point the prime minister has been especially vocal about since the US imposed a high tariff of 50 per cent on Indian goods.

“We have to adopt swadeshi to make India self-reliant,” he said, calling for making it a movement across the country.

The BJP is in government not for "satta" (power) but 'seva' (service), and its offices keep alive this sentiment, Modi said after inaugurating the office and asked party members to ensure that the new building is a place where people’s grievances are heard and addressed.

BJP offices are no less than temples for party members, he said, and serve as a strong chain to connect with people and their expectations.

In a speech in which he spelt out the party’s Delhi unit journey since the days of Jana Sangh, whose leaders formed the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980 after merging their organisation with the Janata Party in 1977, and paid tributes to its numerous leading functionaries.

Modi asked BJP workers of the city to celebrate every festival associated with different parts of India in the national capital, noting that people from different states live here.

They should join people of different regions in celebrating their festivals, and it is very important for the country’s unity, he said, calling for strengthening the spirit of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”.

People should realise that the BJP is part of their family, he said, lauding the city as "mini India" for its diversity.

Modi said Indians feel good when they come across Diwali greetings at the Singapore airport or heads of different governments celebrating the festival of lights, and added a similar spirit of joy will overwhelm people in different regions of India when they see their festivals being celebrated in Delhi.

He said the Delhi government, headed by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has been working hard to boost development and expand various pro-people services in the city. He said the party members should work in coordination to ensure that it becomes one of the best capitals in the world.

Making a strong pitch for promoting swadeshi goods, Modi said BJP members must ensure that there is a board on every shop with 'Garv se kaho ye swadeshi hai' written on it.

In his address, Modi said the BJP's relationship with Delhi is based on sentiments and trust. He said that since the Jana Sangh days, the party has worked for the city.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party has completed 45 years since its establishment. Atal Ji, Advani Ji, Nanaji Deshmukh, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Ji, Murli Manohar Joshi Ji... It is with the blessings and hard work of such numerous personalities that this party has progressed forward," he said.

"But the seed from which the BJP has today become such a large banyan tree was planted in October 1951.

"At that time, under the leadership of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Ji, the Jana Sangh was established. And in that same era, the Delhi Jana Sangh also got its first president in the form of Vaidya Gurudutt Ji," he said, adding that party workers helped rehabilitate victims of the partition, fought the Emergency and protected Sikhs during the 1984 riots. PTI ASK/KR RT

Indirect tax reform touted as reducing household tax burden, urging outreach to ensure GST benefits reach all jurisdictions. The government promotes next-generation GST reform and a raised income-tax exemption as measures reducing household tax incidence and increasing savings, while criticising state-level levy hikes that undercut GST relief and urging outreach to ensure GST benefits reach taxpayers across jurisdictions; promotion of domestic procurement is presented as a complementary economic policy.