The Winter Session of the Parliament, which starts on Thursday, is expected to be stormy, as the Opposition parties seem to have already decided to the corner the government on the issue of ‘intolerance’.
The government, on the other hand, is keen to ensure the passage of the GST Bill. Economic reforms and ease of doing business is right on the top of the government’s agenda.
In an all-party meeting held in the national capital on Wednesday, the government reached out to the Opposition, and said that it was ready for a discussion on subjects issued by the Opposition on the unfortunate incidents which took place in some states.
The government’s agreement to having discussions on issues raised by the Opposition may be read as a sign of the it softening up, and reaching out, to ensure that disruptions do not wash out its legislative agenda.
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said, “PM expressed hope that all parties will work together & ensure smooth functioning of House. PM also said that the Finance Minister is willing to speak to all parties to address the doubts on GST bill.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, speaking at the annual meeting of industry association Assocham:
“We are reaching out to them, we are willing to discuss with them because some of these suggestions may not necessarily be in the larger interest of the GST structure.”
The Congress wants the GST rate to be capped at 18%, and that it should be specified in the bill itself. Jaitley however, termed the suggestion as preposterous. He said that doing so would imply that “in a given exigency if tariff has to be altered you need a two-third majority in both houses of Parliament and it has to go to each of the states”.
“And when tariff rate has to be mentioned in the Constitution itself, (then it) is a flawed architecture…Because the GST with flawed architecture can actually damage the system much more than it can benefit,” he said.
The GST bill states that the rate will be decided by a GST council headed by the central finance minister with state finance ministers as members.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that he has ‘great expectations’ from Parliament, urging all to make it function. It may be mentioned that the last session of the Parliament, the Monsoon session, was washed out on account of protests on the Vyapam scam, and the Lalit Modi affair.
Disruptions in the Parliament come with a cost. A day lost in disruption means a loss of Rs 25 crore to the exchequer, while an hour loss amounts to Rs 25 lakhs going down the drain.
It has to be seen if despite all the reach-out and the consensus building, better sense prevails in the Parliament, when the Winter Session commences on Thursday.