The government’s attempts to push through the Goods and Services Tax Bill in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday were stalled by the Congress disrupting the House, inviting angry reactions from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who targeted Sonia and Rahul Gandhi saying they were not able to digest election defeat.
Accusing the Congress party of creating obstacles in the path of growth and economy, he declared that the government would try to get the bill passed with the help of parties supporting GST through “all correct measures politically and constitutionally”.
The government’s difficulties in a House where Congress has significant number of 68 members in a House of 245 came with only two days to go for the monsoon session of Parliament, which has been a virtual washout in the wake of Congress campaign on political issues.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has 48 members in the House, has the support of about 120 MPs, and will have to work on a number of small parties to muster about 165 members to make up for the mandatory two-third support for a Constitution amendment Bill.
With the roll-out of the GST,which is touted as one of the major economic reforms measures, planned for April 1, 2016, Jaitley moved the Bill for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha after the House adopted the Appropriation Bill without any discussion.
But immediately, Deputy Leader of Congress Anand Sharma raised objections saying discussion on the Bill cannot be taken up as it was not discussed in the Business Advisory Committee and no time has been allocated for it.
When Jaitley got up to move the Bill, Congress members trooped into the well, shouting slogans against the government.
“The real purpose is that they want to stall to stall the growth of the country and that is why session after session, they are using one pretext or the other to stall it. That is why they are using the pretext of the external affairs minister.
“The Congress party does not want the economy to grow. They must candidly say so... They don’t need any pretext,” he said.
Amid stormy scenes and vociferous slogan shouting by Congress members, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said, “This being a Constitution amendment bill, I cannot take up the bill in pandemonium”. He then adjourned the House for the day.
Later, Jaitley launched a strong attack on Congress saying the party was a liability on the economy and stood isolated on the Bill that will lead to a national GST replacing all indirect levies, boosting economic growth and cutting prices.
“GDP will be boosted. That is the economic consensus, if GST is introduced. But Congress for some reason does not want that.
“Its policies were a liability on the economy of this country, when the Congress was in the government. It continues to be a liability on the economy of this country even when it is in opposition,” he told reporters.
Jaitley said the party stands isolated with almost no political group supporting its disruptionist programme.
“It is clear that its two leaders have taken their 2014 defeat very badly. And therefore they are unable to accept the fact that anybody outside the Gandhi family can also rule this country,” he said, without naming Sonia or Rahul.
Jaitley said, “Unfortunately the Congress is in a self destruct mode. We do not grudge that. But in the process, it wants not only to disrupt India’s Parliament but also create obstacles in the path of national growth.”
Stating that disruptionist politics is dangerous both for the Congress and the country, he appealed to the principal opposition party to “see reason and come on the path of cooperation particularly in relation to policies they themselves had at one stage proclaimed”.
“We, on behalf of the government, along with the support of all parties who are supporting the GST, are determined to pursue this and will take all correct measures politically and constitutionally to achieve this goal,” he said.
Jaitley said Congress had mooted GST in 2006 and introduced a bill on it in 2011, but failed to bring a consensus among states.
“In less than a year, it was the National Democratic Alliance government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which brought about a consensus of all the states. And all the features of the GST Bill are a result of that consensus,” he said.
He said the Standing Committee has cleared GST as also the Lok Sabha.
“The Congress wanted in the last session (the bill) sent to the Rajya Sabha Select Committee. It was an understanding that it would be cleared in the next session. Regrettably they have gone back on their words. And after the Select Committee report has come it has to be cleared in the present session,” he added.
Jaitley said GST will transform India into one uniform market for seamless transfer of Goods and services. “It will help to eventually bring down prices because there will be no tax on tax.
“Today tax paid at various stages gets added to the cost and thereafter including the tax component, the next tax is imposed,” he said, adding that the new indirect tax regime would eliminate corruption and harassment of the trading community.
The GST will enlarge overall kitty of taxation, he said.
“And this will greatly be to the advantage of consuming state which are lesser developed states,” he added.
Responding to questions, Jaitley said GST has been introduced already.
“Technically it did not need the introduction because Select Committee directly reports to the House so it’s a formal introduction and the Select Committee prepares the amended Bill. So, the amended Bill, not as prepared by the government but as prepared by the Select Committee, is already before the Rajya Sabha.
“That Bill is listed today. We will again request for its listing,” the finance minister said.
To the objection raised by Anand Sharma in the House, Jaitley said the ‘Business Advisory Committee’ in the last session had kept four hours for GST.
“After that, on the advise of the Congress it went to Select Committee. Select Committee reported it back. That four hours is still valid. Congress should talk about the real issue, it should not deviate,” he said, adding, “We will try now. We will try every alternative mechanism”.
