Face off likely over GST in Parliament

A face-off between the opposition and government over the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill is likely  with the Congress and some other opposition parties insisting that it be sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for scrutiny.

Government, on its part, is leaving no stone unturned to see the passage of the Constitution Amendment bill in the Lok Sabha where it was brought up for consideration today.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today held a meeting of floor leaders of NDA allies in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha asking them to ensure the presence of each and every member tomorrow for smooth passage of the measure in the Lower House.

Leaders of Shiv Sena, TDP, LJP, SAD and smaller parties including NPP, SDF and RPI (Athawale) were present as also representatives of the Shetkari Swabhiman Paksha and Apna dal were present. Former Speaker P A Sangma of the National People's Party has also been approached.

Unfazed by government stand, Congress leaders stuck to the demand for sending the key reform measure to the Standing Committee.

Deputy leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma was firm in the demand.

"We are for legislative scrutiny of the bill", said Sharma. His remarks are significant as The NDA does not have majority in the Upper House where the opposition can call the shots.

At the AICC briefing, party spokesman Gaurav Gogoi lamented the Narendra Modi dispensation's frequent attempts to "bypass" the Parliamentary Standing Committee route for bills.

"Out of 51 bills brought by the government, only seven have been referred to the Standing Committee.Why the Standing Committee route is being bypassed?", he asked making a strong pitch for GST bill to be referred to such a panel.

At the same time, he said that the Congress was all for the bill "in principle". "Why this haste? We have been a very cooperative and constructive opposition", he said.

He emphasised that there have been some changes in the bill brought forward by the government and therefore it was better that it be left to legislative scrutiny.

In Lok Sabha, Congress today supported the GST but opposed some of the provisions of the bill on it introduced by the BJP government, demanding that it be sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee, which was supported by parties like AIADMK and BJD.
TMC said it was "broadly supporting" the bill while AIADMK said it was against it as Tamil Nadu ruled by it would lose over Rs 10000 crore due to the new tax structure.

Veerappa Moily (Cong), while initiating a debate on the bill after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley "beseeched" the opposition to help in its passage, said GST was revolutionary but he opposed some of its measures.

Jaitley rose to congratulate Moily over his support to GST. However, the Congress leader later made a strong plea to the government that it send the legislation to the Standing Committee for wider consultation.

He said the government would not be doing any charity by agreeing to demand for sending it to the Standing Committee.

The strategy of rival sides on the key measure will become clearer tomorrow with the Prime Minister scheduled to address a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party while Sonia Gandhi will preside over the general body meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party. Gandhi had a meeting with party MPS of the Lok Sabha today.

Congress is likely to stage a walk-out from Lok Sabha tomorrow in protest against the manner of bringing up the GST bill.

In the Rajya Sabha, the party will press for sending it to Select Committee.The decisions were taken at two meetings of party MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chaired by Congress President Sonia Gandhi to finalize the party's strategy for the next week in Parliament.