Stating that they won’t allow any compromise on Jammu and Kashmir’s financial autonomy and special status, JKPCC Vice President and MLC G N Monga today asked the Government to make its road-map for implementing the GST in the state public.“In the All Party Meeting called by the government over the issue, the members were assured that they will be provided all the relevant documents and drafts related to implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the state. However, till now nothing has been made public,” he said in a statement to KNS.The Congress leader asked the government what safeguards the proposed GST Bill has for Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional guaranteed special status. “The State Government must make public the discussion held by Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on implementation of GST in Bhubaneswar and Shillong. It also should make public the GST draft of UPA and if there is any amendment in it that too should be made public,” he demanded.
Monga, who was part of the All-Party Meet convened by the Government on GST controversy, ridiculed the Government for calling Assembly session for a day, where only obituary references were made. “We had made it clear in the meeting that there must not be any Assembly session till the draft GST bill is made public. But the Government went ahead and called the session where only obituary references were made and the House was adjourned sine die. “What was the need to waste tax-payers money when the government had to adjourn the House just after obituary references?” he asked.Monga said that Congress was unable to understand why GST draft is being kept under wraps. “When the ruling party claims that there would be no compromise on fiscal autonomy, why doesn’t it make the draft GST bill public,” he said and demanded an open debate on the issue.“Government must take all the traders bodies and other stakeholders on board before reaching to any conclusion over the issue.” (KNS)