New Delhi: Union Minister Jitendra Singh today said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir in the next three to four days, and ruled out any difference of opinion between the BJP and the PDP, the ruling coalition partners.
The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) replied in negative when asked whether the BJP had “surrendered” before the PDP as far as the GST was concerned, amid reports of differences between them.
“All of us should stay assured that the GST will soon be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir. There is no surrender. I have told you that the GST will be implemented very soon. It will be implemented in next three to four days,” he told reporters in Jammu.
He said not only the BJP or the PDP but the entire nation was on the same page vis-a-vis the implementation of the GST, which is billed as the biggest tax reform in India since Independence. “It is not a question of the BJP, the PDP or the Congress. 125 crore people of this country are dictating us to be on the same page and there cannot be anything otherwise,” he said.
“Both the coalition partners are on the same page. There is no difference of opinion on the GST. There were hiccups raised by opposition parties for political consideration, but they have also realised that they cannot carry it forward. Now they are exposed,” he added.
Mr Singh, Lok Sabha MP from Udhampur, said the traders faced losses everyday on account of non-implementation of the GST in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The state government will take a call. Each day, there will be losses to the traders. We do not have any problem in implementation of the GST, but the opposition is creating hurdles,” he said.
“Our stand is clear before you on GST. There is no difference between us. They (PDP) are in agreement. There will be soon some way out. All political parties are on one page on the GST,” he added.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the core group of the BJP, its state unit chief Sat Sharma said all party legislators will take part in the four-day special Assembly session starting from July 4.
“The session is being specially held for GST. All (legislators) have been asked to remain present there. There will be discussion on GST, as the session is being exclusively held for it,” Mr Sharma said.
“I feel before 8th of July, the announcement will be made for implementation of GST in Jammu and Kashmi. We have a clear stand on the GST,” he said.
He said the GST was to be ushered from July 1 along with rest of the country but due to some reasons it could not be implemented in J-K and the opposition has been “repeatedly creating hurdles” in its implementation.
“We want all political parties to be on the same page. The government organised all parties meeting which was boycotted by the Congress and the National Conference. Now the session will be held and some decision would be taken there,” Mr Sharma said.
PTI