It’s now clear that Jammu and Kashmir will not be a part of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, which is bringing the Indian economy under a single tax bracket from July 1 as the state failed to evolve a consensus on its implementation.
The move, however, has not only put the ruling alliance partner BJP in the dock but has also brought in the open the saffron party’s serious differences with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The BJP claimed the state government failed to implement the GST in Jammu and Kashmir from tomorrow because the “PDP wanted to play safe” in the Kashmir valley.
Apart from this, the PDP has reportedly not taken the BJP on board while taking a decision of holding a special session of Assembly in Srinagar from July 4 to discuss GST implementation and evolve a consensus on it.
The BJP has made it clear that “it does not want any more discussion on the GST” and the decision of holding a special Assembly session was a “purposeless exercise”.
“Our position is very clear. We don’t want further discussion on it (GST implementation). It has to be implemented in the state and there is no option with the government other than implementing it in the larger interest of the state. The state government failed to disseminate the real benefits of the new taxation system among the people while the Opposition parties like the NC and the Congress were able to exploit this issue for their political gains,” Sunil Sethi, chief spokesperson of the BJP, told Kashmir Post.
“The situation could have been avoided if the Cabinet had taken a timely decision on a constitutional amendment required for the implementation of GST in the state,” Sethi said.
Asked whether the PDP took his party into confidence prior to taking a decision of holding a special Assembly session from July 4, Sethi said he was not aware of this issue and only Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh could make a comment on it but it was a purposeless effort.
Sat Sharma, state BJP chief, said the state had “missed the bus” and it would not be a part of this historic taxation system from the first day. “We tried our best to ensure the application of the GST from July 1. We will miss the bus and will not be a part of this historic taxation system from day 1. We are in a coalition government and we have only 25 seats with us. Had this been our own government, the GST would have been a reality in J&K by now.”
Rift wide open in BJP-PDP coalition
