New Delhi, Dec. 25 -- Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had met representatives of the trader community and discussed the challenges faced by small businesses and MSMEs, accusing the Union government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of pursuing what he described as a "failed economic policy". Sharing a video of the interaction on social media on Wednesday, Gandhi said small traders, MSMEs and the manufacturing sector had been systematically weakened as the government "gave free rein" to monopolies. "The government has given free rein to monopolies, and shackled small and medium traders with the chains of bureaucracy and flawed policies like incorrect GST. This is not just a policy failure - it is a direct assault on production, employment and India's future," Gandhi wrote on X. During the meeting, trader representatives raised concerns over the implementation of the GST, which they described as having turned into a burden rather than a reform. They referred to the tax regime as a "tool of oppression" for small and medium enterprises, citing compliance complexities and uneven enforcement. Another major issue flagged was the inverted duty structure, which the representatives termed a "sham reform". In a press release, the Congress said the structure distorted market realities by raising input costs while offering limited relief to consumers. "By increasing GST on raw materials and reducing GST on finished products, the government creates the illusion of consumer relief. The reality is that prices for consumers remain roughly the same, while small and medium producers' costs rise, profits fall and they are gradually forced out of the market," the party said....