Not getting positive signals on GST from Cong: Jaitley
2 Sept 2015 6:31 AM IST
He said it was distressing that the Congress party was using its numbers in Rajya Sabha to stall the House and the law and should ask itself a question whether it had deserved to rule the country.
“They (Congress) should not try to stop the GST bill. Our efforts to get it approved by Parliament will continue”, Jaitley said, adding the government was ready with the three support legislations to ensure the roll out of the new indirect tax regime from April 1, 2016.
“We are talking to them (Congress) but we are not getting any positive signals from whoever we are talking...I will request Congress to adopt a positive attitude,” he said.
He said as a political party the Congress could not pursue the philosophy of negativism if it wants to ever rule the country.
The government is contemplating a special session of Parliament for passage of the GST Bill, which has been touted as the biggest reform of indirect taxes since Independence.
Jaitley said that although the majority of members in the Rajya Sabha supported the GST bill, the Congress was trying to stop it by not allowing the house to function.
Since it is a constitution amendment bill, it has to be voted and could not be approved by just voice vote, Jaitley said.
“Two-third members (in Rajya Sabha) are in favour of GST, but Congress is not allowing the House to function. Congress’ trump card is not to let the House function. Congress should not use the trump card to stop the country’s progress,” he added.
The minister said the Congress party’s main objective seems to be to stop economic reforms which at this time were needed to take advantage of the emerging global situation to boost growth.
“Congress party’s only objective is to stop country’s progress. I believe the presently the political struggle is not among parties but two views. One view wants to take the country towards progress and development, the other is to stop it,” the Union Finance Minister said.
‘Cong changed stance on land ordinance for political reasons’
Accusing the Congress of changing its position on the Land Bill after the Modi government brought an ordinance, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the 2013 law passed by the previous UPA dispensation is now in force and Centre would permit states to make amendments to the Central law. In an article ‘The Land Ordinance – The obvious reasons”, posted on Facebook, he dubbed the 2013 Act as a “badly drafted legislation” which has “a lot of ambiguities and obvious errors” as the effect of some of its provisions are contrary to the language used therein and “legitimate difficulties” would arise once the Act is implemented.
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