Jaitley to Cong: Ready for vote on GST

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday expressed confidence that the BJP-led NDA government have “consensus” across board regarding the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, which he said he was “reasonably confident” that it would be passed in Rajya Sabha, if put to vote in the Monsoon Session 

of Parliament.

“My preference is that there should be a consensus. I do hope we move in that direction. If it doesn’t emerge, then the only other option is the parliamentary process,” he said while speaking to the media in the national Capital.

Asked if he was confident regarding the numbers in RS if the Bill came up in the Monsoon Session, he said: “I am reasonably confident. Every political party, including the Congress, favours GST. The Congress party should have had the vision to support it more aggressively because they could claim the original authorship of the idea. They should have had the vision to support it more aggressively because they can claim original authorship of the Bill. Every regional party barring one, which has mixed voices that is the AIADMK and we can speak to them, supports this Bill. SP (Samajwadi Party), BSP 

(Bahujan Samaj Party), RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal), JD(U) (Janata Dal United), DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), NCP (Nationalist Congress Party), CPI(M) (Communist Party of India), TMC (Trinamool Congress) all are making strong noises in support of the Bill.”

The Finance Minister further explained: “If you actually do a number count about all those who are supporting the GST and every regional party has a strong interest in passage of the GST, because the state where it is going to have an impact, it will help those states. All UPA partners are making urges for GST. I am reasonably confident as when it comes to the crunch. It’s extremely difficult for even the Congress party to take a contrary step.” Are the Congress Chief Ministers on board when it comes to this issue? “I have spoken to all Chief Minsters of all states including the UPA and Congress states. Every Chief Minister is a supporter of the idea,” he said.

Jaitley thought the best way to resolve the GST issue was through consensus and said: “As far as GST, except for the one percent additional tax for two years on interstate transactions which was done to mollify the manufacturing states that is something I have already said I am open about. The rest of the GST Bill is verbatim the same, what the UPA had introduced. Therefore, one has to analyse these afterthoughts. 

“Now, the Parliamentary standing committee and also RS select committee has approved it (minus that one per cent). Last week in RS, I made it clear on both the issues — dispute redressal mechanism and also on this 18 per cent cap (demands of the Congress party in the GST Bill) — I hope that in view of what I have said, the Congress party will revisit its position. I certainly would be keeping the discussion on with them. I have always said that a consensus must emerge. If consensus doesn’t emerge then the only other way is the Parliamentary process. We will ask the RS to discuss it and take a view on it.”