Ravish Kumar, who earlier claimed that GST was financial burden for consumers, whines after the Modi govt makes insurance tax-free
YouTuber Ravish Kumar, who once criticised the imposition of GST on life and health insurance, has resorted to doublespeak after the Modi government decided to remove it completely.
In his latest video, the ‘journalist’ downplayed the relief that people are expected to get, claiming that premiums still depend on multiple factors.
Ravish Kumar’s new video on GST removal
On Friday, 5th September, Ravish Kumar uploaded a video on his YouTube channel ‘Ravish Kumar Official’. In it, he spoke about the government’s decision to scrap GST on life and health insurance under the revised tax regime.
However, instead of welcoming the move as a big relief for policyholders, he argued that this will not have as much impact as is being projected.
According to him, “Health and life insurance now fall under the zero GST category, but does that really make premiums cheaper? How much cheaper will they actually get? Premiums are based on various factors, not just GST.”
He later gave an example and said, “if hospital bills go up due to medical inflation, insurance companies will raise their charges as well. Similarly, if someone takes a claim of five lakh rupees in a year, their premium may increase next year because the company will charge more from those who claim. So, while premiums may look cheaper on paper, the recovery of their charges can happen in other ways.”
What he said earlier when GST was imposed
This statement stands in sharp contrast to what Ravish Kumar used to say earlier, when life and health insurance fell under the 18% tax slab.
Back then, he had argued that insurance was becoming too costly for the common man, and that high GST was discouraging people from buying or renewing policies.
At the time, he said, “If insurance keeps getting expensive like this, the common man will not be able to arrange for his own safety. Removing or reducing GST on health insurance could give relief to people. This could also encourage more people to renew their policies. Because of this inflation, the insurance sector is not able to grow, as only a few people can afford to buy multiple policies.”
The difference in Ravish Kumar’s stand is striking. When GST was imposed, he called it a big financial burden. But now, when the Modi government has scrapped it entirely, he insists that GST alone does not matter much and that premiums depend on other factors. This clear shift in position has drawn attention, with many pointing out the inconsistency in his arguments.
The remarks came after the recent announcement of GST 2.0
The decision was taken in the 56th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council held on Wednesday, 3rd September.
In its 10-hour-long meeting chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the GST Council unanimously revised the existing four-tier tax structure of 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% and removed the tax categories of 12% and 28%.
This new system, effective from 22nd September, the first day of Navaratri, is expected to benefit the middle class the most. With lower indirect taxes, households will have more disposable income, boosting consumption and giving a push to domestic demand.
The government says the aim of the reform is simple: reduce tax burden on essential items, encourage spending, and make life easier for people.
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