PM Narendra Modi invited Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh under public pressure: Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Sonia Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh for talks on GST due to "public pressure" and demanded that Modi should "naturally talk to the Opposition."

The Congress Vice-president also hit out at the attitude of Modi government, saying, "This is not the normal way of transacting business."

"He should naturally talk to the Opposition. But the talks which are happening with the Congress President and Manmohan Singh ji is due to public pressure. This is not the normal way of transacting business," Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament House.

With government and Congress at loggerheads over the passage of crucial legislations like the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, Modi on Friday reached out to the main opposition and invited Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh for a tea at his Race Course Road residence.

Rahul also maintained that the party was in favour of passage of GST bill but made it clear that there were differences with the government regarding the issue.

"Our position is very clear and we have three differences with the BJP government. So the talks are on," he said

"We had brought in the GST and it is beneficial for the people. We want to pass the GST and cooperate with the government," Rahul added.

Congress wants that cap should be put on the tax, he said, adding, "We want poor should not be taxed. We have brought in the GST and we want to pass it."

(With inputs from PTI)