JKPCC hits out at state govt for passing GST resolution

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) today lashed out at the state government for passing the GST resolution in the assembly without a consensus and said it was a deliberate attempt to harm the fiscal autonomy and special status of the state.
In a core group meeting held today under the chairmanship of JKPCC president G A Mir, the party legislators and senior leaders expressed serious concern over the way the resolution was passed in the House without taking the opposition on board, a party spokesman said here.
He said although the party was not against the GST, the way it was passed was "unacceptable" to it.

"The party leaders also expressed apprehensions that the passing of GST in a hurry will certainly harm the special status and the fiscal autonomy of the state," the spokesman said.
He said the party described the passing of the resolution as a "black day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir".
"The party also termed the assembly session and the meetings held from time to time in order to evolve a consensus on GST by the government as a mere eye-wash, while the passing of GST was already decided between the PDP and BJP," he said.

Expressing serious apprehensions over the fate of the special status of the state, the core group termed the passing of GST Resolution as a "deliberate attempt" to harm the fiscal autonomy and special status by implementing the new tax regime in the state without the necessary amendments.

The core group also described the passing of the GST resolution as a "fixed match between the PDP and the BJP" and said it was "evident from day one" that the PDP and the BJP had planned to clear the resolution without considering the viewpoint of the opposition.
"The party feels duty bound to continue to oppose the mode of implementation of GST in its present form," he said.
The spokesman said the core group added that the party would reach out to the people in the entire state to seek their feedback in order to devise a strategy with regard to the fallout of the GST in its present form.