If opposing GST is 'suicide', why did BJP fight against it: JD (U)

The party also said BJP as a ruling party hasn't invested the energy and efforts to see that the GST Bill is passed

Countering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark saying that no political party will try to 'commit suicide' by opposing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, the Janata Dal (United) on Tuesday asked if the BJP was killing itself for last so many years when they fought against the legislation as the opposition.

JD (U) leader Pawan Verma, said that he didn't know what Prime Minster Modi meant by this remark because his party had vehemently opposed the Bill when they were in the opposition.

"I don't know what Prime Minister Modi meant by his statement, because when the BJP was the opposition, they were against the GST Bill. So at that point, were they committing political suicide," Verma said.

He further said that the BJP as a ruling party hasn't invested the energy and efforts to see that the GST Bill is passed.

"I believe that through structured negotiations the differences could have been resolved by now," he said.

Verma maintained that his party supports the GST but doubts the government's intention of getting the crucial Bill passed.

He further said that the government now seems to be finally serious on the issue of passing the GST.

"If there are two to three issues on which there is a lack of consensus, then it is the responsibility of the current regime to get everyone to agree to it," he added.

Verma further said that legislation like the GST should not be only viewed from a political mindset.

PM Modi told the media yesterday that political opposition to GST bill would be equal to committing suicide.

The GST Bill will be taken up during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which commences from July 18 and will go on till August 12.

The proposed tax reform, India's biggest revenue shake-up since independence in 1947, seeks to replace a slew of federal and state levies, transforming the nation into a Customs Union.

The Congress Party, the original author of the tax reform, has said that it would back the GST if the government agreed to cap the tax rate at 18 percent and create an independent mechanism to resolve disputes on revenue sharing between states.