Bill on GST introduced in Rajya Sabha amid ruckus

Later, soon after the bill was moved, the Congress started its protest, demanding the resignation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson P.J. Kurien said it was not possible to proceed in view of the bedlam and adjourned proceedings till tomorrow.

The new tax will subsume all indirect taxes collected by the centre and states. “The two prime leaders of the Congress are unable to accept that anyone outdoors the Gandhi family can run the nation”, he stated.

They said since their demand for adjournment motion was not being accepted, they have been maintaining that discussion under other rules can take place after the BJP leaders resign.

“The opposition of the Congress to the GST is based on national and public interest”, party spokesperson Ahishek Manu Singhvi said reiterating the Congress’s stand that the Bill should limit the GST to 18 per cent and the Constitution should be amended accordingly. The Congress was, therefore, a “liability on the economy”.

“GDP will be boosted”.

Jaitley said the “disruptionist” policy of the Congress was unsafe for the country.

Here are key facts you must know about the controversial GST bill.

Accordingly, analysts say that if the government is unable to push through the bill in the current session of Parliament, it will find it extremely hard to meet the deadline of rolling out the tax by 1 April 2016. His cabinet colleague, Ananth Kumar, will fill in for him.

“Unfortunately the Congress is in a self destruct mode”. We do not grudge that.

While vowing to pursue GST, Jaitley charged the Congress with delaying much-needed reforms and slowing the economy.

“All the basic features of GST cost are born of…” “The (Union) Finance Minister said GST is top priority”, he told reporters.

Rahul Gandhi arrives in Parliament on Tuesday.

When Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was introducing the GST Bill yesterday, he was rebuked by Congress parliamentarians who shouted “nahi chalegi”, meaning “this won’t do” in Hindi. “I take very strong objection to that”.

Kashyap said the option of joint sitting both Houses of Parliament is not available in the case of a Constitution amendment bill.

While Lok Sabha has passed the Bill, the real test for the government was toget it passed in the Rajya Sabha.

To the objection raised by Anand Sharma in the House, Jaitley said the “Business Advisory Committee” in the last session had kept four hours for GST.