Current Winter session threatened with a washout, says Arun Jaitley

Over lunch on Monday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley discussed the government’s key reform measure, the Goods and Services Tax or GST Bill with senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Anand Sharma.

Accordingly, in September, the party’s highest decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee extended Sonia’s tenure as party chief for another year. But they also believe that much depends on the manner in which the government side approaches the business of the house.

It’s a self-created mess and Congress leaders should stop stalling Parliament over it.. His successor Indira Gandhi followed that path and it helped her coming out clean from all charges of economic offences labelled against her during the Janata government, though she had to appear in court on eight occasions and had to go behind the bars for a small period.

“The question we need to ask ourselves is, “Are we being fair to ourselves and this country?” he asked”.

“If they don’t turn up, issue a warrant and send them to jail”, Swamy said in the book-lined study of his South Delhi residence, where case papers were scattered across his desk. “Tax authorities have not passed any assessment order”, Jaitley said.

Jaitley, however, contested Chidambaram’s remarks, saying the government had communicated its response to “responsible leaders” of that party.

In a week’s time, Rahul Gandhi, vice-president of India’s Congress party, may find himself headed for jail. “The government does not interfere”, he said. Effectively, the Section 25 company substantially controlled by the leaders of the Congress Party now owns all the properties acquired for a newspaper publication, and for virtually no consideration, the Section 25 company owns all the assets. Jaitley said he would not like to comment on the matter any further because it was under investigation.

Hence PM Vajpayee formed an empowered committee of state finance ministers chaired by Dr Asim Dasgupta of Bengal. Does he have the right to make statements like that?

In the present system, the Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC) plays the role of an advisory committee to give a point of view on tax controversies regarding levy of central level taxes.

“The Nehru-Gandhi family has not taken profit of even a single paisa in National Herald case”.

They have also said that, contrary to Dr Swamy’s arguments, money donated to Congress can be disposed of as the party wishes, and that the loans were advanced to AJL because of the long shared history between the party and the company.

The bold headline in Goa’s newspapers this morning said all that needed to be said: “National Herald: Cong stalls RS for 4th day”.

On allegations that shareholders like Shanti Bhushan and Justice Markandey Katju were taken for a ride, he claimed the former Supreme Court judge had never applied to become a shareholder. After the Subramanian committee report on the tax, it appears Jaitley will now be doing that.