GST Bill: Congress stalls proceedings, BJP plays ‘blame-game’

With opposition disrupting the Monsoon Session of the Parliament over and over again, the government started playing the ‘blame-game’ hoping to pass the Goods and Services Tax Bill (GST) in the remaining two days of the session.

An Economic Times report stated, the central government is now blaming the 'disruptionist politics' of the Congress for failure of the legislation.

As part of the blame-game, the government on Tuesday moved the much-awaited Bill in the Upper House for consideration. The opposition, on the other hand, acknowledged no understanding of the matter Notably, without the support of the opposition, any Constitution Amendment Bill can’t be passed in the Rajya Sabha.

Reacting to the BJP’s move, the Congress objected with its deputy House leader Anand Sharma stating that no prior notice was given that the Bill will be moved. The Congress Party further added that it was not even listed earlier in the day's business and there was no discussion on bringing it this week during the House business advisory committee meeting.

As per the government sources, the treasury benches were aware that there would be opposition to the Bill being moved and this was a bid to send across a message to the people that the Centre was trying to get the bill passed while it was being thwarted by a Congress 'opposed to economic progress of the country'.

As soon as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved the Bill, in the form it was cleared by the select committee of the Rajya Sabha, Congress MPs trooped into the well of the House and shouted slogans against PM Modi and his government. "They (Congress) want to stall to stall the growth of the country and that is why session after session, they are using one pretext or the other to stall it. That is why they are using the pretext of external affairs minister... The Congress party does not want the economy to grow," Jaitley said.

As the din continued, deputy chairperson PJ Kurien adjourned the House saying that a Constitution Amendment Bill that has to be passed by a two-thirds majority present and voting and through division cannot be passed in the pandemonium.

While talking to the media outside the Parliament House later during the day, Jaitley slammed Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi alleging that they were responsible for blocking the GST Bill.