New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the Goods and Services Tax Bill was “a very big and important step” towards getting the country rid of “tax terrorism”.

Participating in the debate in the Lok Sabha on the amendments to the GST Bill, Modi said that passage of the legislation will send the message that “consumer is the king”.

Modi started his speech by paying tributes to freedom fighters on the eve of the anniversary of the Quit India movement.

“As we remember them (the freedom fighters), the two houses of parliament, the parliamentarians collectively are taking a very big and important step towards getting rid of tax terrorism,” Modi said.

The Rajya Sabha last week unanimously passed the Constitution amendment bill to pave the way for the introduction of a pan-India Goods and Services Tax regime.

The government had moved amendments to the bill earlier passed by the Lok Sabha to accommodate concerns of opposition parties.