BJP issues whip, asks members to be present in Parliament

With the Monsoon session ending this week, the government is keen to push the GST bill

With the government pushing for passage of the GST bill in Parliament, BJP today issued a whip to its members, asking them to be present in both the Houses today and tomorrow.

The GST bill is listed for discussion and passage in the Rajya Sabha where the NDA does not have a majority, and as a constitutional amendment bill it needs the support of two-thirds of the House.

With the Monsoon session ending this week, the government is keen to push the bill.

With some parties including the Samajwadi Party breaking ranks with the Congress on the issue of stalling Parliament, treasury benches hope that it would have numbers to push the key reform bill.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST), that seeks to replace all indirect taxes, with a uniform levy has already been approved by the Lok Sabha and was in last session referred to a Rajya Sabha Select Committee.

The panel has given its report endorsing majority of the provisions, while suggesting changes in compensation to states and definition of supply for the purpose of states levying additional one per cent tax.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy had assailed Congress for opposing the Bill, which he said was its own brain child.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had yesterday attacked the Congress' top leadership for its "stubbornness" and alleged that they wanted India's growth story to suffer by obstructing the GST bill's passage.

Jaitley had said that the Congress was "completely isolated" on the GST bill and "its best endeavour is that since it won't be able to stop the GST it is definitely trying to delay.