Govt accuses Congress of blocking GST due to 'political reasons'

Putting the blame squarely on the Congress for the logjam on GST, Government on Friday said it was "blocking" passage of key legislations for "political reasons". 

Addressing media on the last day of the Budget session, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, also ruled out any attempt to target the Congress leadership on AgustaWestland scam, an issue which rocked both Houses of Parliament. Naqvi expressed satisfaction over the legislative business completed in both Houses and described it as "fruitful despite political confrontation" and raising of some contentious issues.

The minister said that Lok Sabha, where the BJP has majority, saw "not even a single adjournment due to interruptions" and noted that even in the Rajya Sabha, disruptions recorded a "declining" trend.

Giving details, he said the productivity of Lok Sabha during this session has been 117.58 percent and that of Rajya Sabha at 86.68 percent. "Ten bills were passed in Lok Sabha and 12 in Rajya Sabha." Naqvi also said that during the two years of Modi government, over a dozen reform bills got Parliament's nod. The number of sittings of both the Houses and bills passed during the Lower House have improved during this period. Lok Sabha held 78 sittings and passed 48 Bills, per year as against 70 sittings and 45 Bills per year during 2004-14 period. Rajya Sabha held 76 sittings and passed 41 bills per year as against 67 sittings and 45 bills per year during 2004-14 (when the UPA was in power)," he said giving an account of efforts made by the government towards legislation and functioning of Parliament over the last two years.

Stating that there is a definitive need for Parliament to give a major push to the priority reforms, Naqvi hoped that Congress will "introspect" during the gap between the conclusion of Budget Session today and the convening of the next Monsoon session and help pass the crucial GST bill. 

Due to the logjam on the issue, the GST bill could not considered in the second part of the Budget session that began on April 25. 

Asked how does it expect Congress to help pass the bill, when the leaders of the main Opposition party are being attacked, Naqvi said,"corruption-free development is needed for nation- building. If corruption has happened at any level, compromise with that is not possible." 

Noting that an Italian court has given punishment to "bribe givers", the minister said,"it is clear that the bribe-takers are in our country. We have been saying that while no bribe taker will be spared, no innocent will be touched at the same time. So it is not appropriate for our friends in Congress to be concerned and think that their leaders are being attacked.  "Our attack is not on any party or its leadership. Our action is against the bribe takers and who they are, will be clear after investigations. Congress leaders have also said on the floor of the House that speedy investigation should happen in the AgustaWestland case. I assure that the desire of Congress will definitely be fulfilled."

To repeated questions on the AgustaWestland issue and the goverment's handling of it, Naqvi said, "we did not dig out this issue. It came from Italy."

He also said the GST being a Constitutional Amendment Bill, the support of Congress is also required and the government will make attempts to take the Opposition party on board. "There were many important issues like the GST on which a consensus could not be made, especially the support of Congress was not there even as all other parties and states ruled by other parties are in favour of it. "We hope that our Congress friends will introspect in the period available between the end of the Budget session and beginning of the Monsoon session and we will be able to pass the GST in the next session," he said.

Naqvi claimed that when the BJP was in Opposition, it took care that legislations for the development of the nation are not blocked.

Asked about the oft-repeated stand of Congress that BJP is yet to come out with some formal response to its demand for three amendments in the GST, Naqvi cited the recent remarks of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Parliament saying "there can be no more formal response than this".

He said that the bill was referred to a Select Committee on the demand of Congress and most of the recommendations of that panel have already been accepted. "If there is some new thing, then they can be placed in the House itself and discussed," Naqvi said. 

He also downplayed questions on the impact on GST's future due to the BJP-AIADMK sparring during Tamil Nadu elections saying many things are said during elections and the Chief Minister of the state should also understand that Tamil Nadu will benefit if GST happens.