Congress stalling passage of GST for frivolous reasons: Sinha

Junior finance minister blames party for monsoon session washout and stalling bill's passage in winter session

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today came down heavily of the Congress party for stalling the passage of goods and services tax (GST) bill in Rajya Sabha for frivolous reasons.

"Monsoon session was a washout and the Congress did not allow Rajya Sabha to function. The committee formed in the Rajya Sabha to study GST agreed on the constitutional amendments. As the bill was passed in Lok Sabha, it is worthy of passing in the upper house of parliament. Despite assurances from the Congress, the session was washed out. The Congress, in winter session, found every possible excuse to block the passage of GST bill," Jayant Sinha, minister of state for finance told media persons.

The principal opposition party had stalled the proceedings in Rajya Sabha on issues of intolerance, demand of removal of Union minister, V K Singh and the alleged DDCA scam.

"Despite all our efforts like series of all party meetings, Prime Minister, parliamentary affairs minister and finance minister reaching out to the president of Congress party and former Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, nothing happened. The winter session ended without the GST constitution amendment being passed", he added.

"It is the resistance of the Congress which is not allowing us to pass the legislation that will reduce the inflation in India and reduce the cost of doing business in India", rued the minister.

He said, it is a blow to India's democracy when every party is in support of GST and Rajya Sabha is stalled for one frivolous reasons or the other.

Keen to roll out a new GST regime from April 1, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, M Venkaiah Naidu had called on Congress chief, Sonia Gandhi on Thursday and suggested that the budget session of Parliament could be advanced for the purpose.

"We desire to pass the constitutional amendment. We have been blocked at every turn by the principal opposition party which is indeed a harsh blow to the functioning of the democracy, Sinha said.

On his meeting with Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik today, Sinha stressed on collaboration between the state and Centre for providing more assistance to the state.

The minister said , the areas of collaboration identified are accelerated irrigated benefit programme, financing of medical colleges and infrastructure, getting finance from the multilateral financing agencies like World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for important projects in the pipelines and special assistance for backward districts.

He said, the commodity sector including steel and metal, oil have been impacted due to global slow down.

On the Posco project, the minister said that it is for the Posco to take decision whether to set up the project or not.

"We are very supportive of all companies including Posco. But, all have to follow the laws of the land", Sinha added.