Government-Congress face-off derails work in parliament

On the party’s other demand of scrapping the powers to states to levy 1 per cent additional tax over and above the GST rate, he said the government will talk to manufacturing states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, which have been demanding such a levy. And what has stopping of Parliament got to do with the case of National Herald.

“As far as Congress’ statement (on the issue) in parliament is concerned, the impression is being given that we are not interested in the GST (bill)”. “Tax authorities have not passed any assessment order”, he said at Aaj Tak Agenda programme. He is giving a sort of indication to the IT department that they need to send notice. Sibal referred to comments made by revenue ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Maharashtra and Haryana governments favouring cancellation of leases of properties of National Herald or its holding companies and asked, “Is this not political vendetta?” Sibal rejected all charges of alleged cheating and siphoning of money made by the Congress in the name of reviving the National Herald newspaper founded by Jawaharlal Nehru.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said he has been telling all concerned, including the media people, that the National Herald case is not the issue on which the house was witnessing disruptions.

The senior lawyer and former Union Minister also spoke about the 2G scam.

He also said Congress wanted passage of the GST Bill in Parliament but, first, the government should accepts its three suggestions on the Bill. “One of the very senior BJP leaders set a democratic principle that obstruction in Parliament is part of parliamentary strategy”, said Sibal. He said he would not like to comment on the issue that is under investigation “There has been no notice issued from the government (to Congress leaders). Court exonerated him, he never used parliamentary forum, he never mobilised people to demonstrate, had he given a call, lakhs of people would have followed him but he did not do it because we respect Constitution, judiciary and the system”, he said.

“So they are blaming us for delaying it. The truth is they don’t want it”, he said.

Attacking the Congress for using imaginary excuses to block the GST, he said the party should clearly say if it wants to stall development of the country.

He appealed to Congress and its friends not to do now what they had done in the Monsoon Session “a washout” and listed key legislative businesses on wait including GST which would “bring prosperity to the country”. “We have said you come to us on the suggestions put forth by us and implement them”, he said.

As Congress party was now claiming that the Prime Minister’s Office was behind it, he said “does it (Congress) mean to say that Dr Manmohan Singh had organised all this?”