CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai on Wednesday strongly condemned the Union government's decision to impose a 15 per cent customs duty on gold and silver, alleging that the move would place an additional financial burden on middle-class and poor families already struggling with rising prices.
In a statement, Selvaperunthagai said gold is not merely a commodity in Tamil Nadu but an emotional and financial security for families, particularly women. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for advising people to reduce gold purchases and then imposing higher customs duties on gold and silver within days.
"On one side, there is inflation, and on the other, there is a steep rise in taxes. Ultimately, it is the middle-class and poor people who are affected the most," he said.
The TNCC chief accused the BJP-led Union government of "exploiting people's savings and women's future security through taxation." He said the increase in customs duty would make gold purchases more difficult for ordinary families who traditionally depend on gold as a safe form of savings and financial support during emergencies.
Selvaperunthagai urged the Centre to immediately withdraw the customs duty hike, stating that the government should understand the economic hardships already faced by the public due to increasing living costs.
He reiterated that the Congress party would continue to oppose policies that place additional financial pressure on common people.