GST debate: Who said what in Parliament today

The four GST bills that were introduced in the Lok Sabha today were --Central GST, Integrated GST, Union Territory GST and the Compensation Law.

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speaks in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi on Wednesday. PTI Photo / TV GRAB

During the seven-hour marathon debate on four GST Bills on Wednesday in the Parliament, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley relieved the people of their fear of a sharp increase in prices of goods and commodities after the roll out of the GST. He said that the tax rates will be maintained as in the current levels so as not to have any inflationary impact. The minister also called the GST bill to be a revolutionary one that will help in the free movement of goods across the country. The four GST bills that were introduced in the Lok Sabha today were –Central GST, Integrated GST, Union Territory GST and the Compensation Law.

Initiating a discussion on the four GST bills in the Lok Sabha, the MPs raised various issues regarding the GST and criticised it during the parliament session. Here’s what the various MPs said on the GST bill today:

Congress leader Veerappa Moily: The country lost around Rs 1.5 lakh crore annually which totals to a loss of Rs 12 lakh crore due to years of delay in implementation of the GST due to the stiff opposition by the BJP when the UPA government was in power.

BJP MP Udit Raj: The GST would bring about uniformity in the tax system and be immensely beneficial to the 1.2 billion people of the country. The GST is a game changer.. It will lead to a corruption-free India.

AIADMK MP Venkatesh Babu: The GST is the biggest tax reform initiative post independence, but there were many challenges in its proper implementation. The Tamil Nadu government is fully committed for successful implementation of GST.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee: The GST will bring a single tax structure for the common people and small traders and it was West Bengal which ensured that no state government suffers financially due to the implementation of GST. The purpose of GST is to end multiplicity of taxes and its cascading effects and all benefits should be passed on to the common people.

Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD): Everybody said that the GST law will be a game-changer but “we (BJD) believe that it will be illusionary to expect too much from it”.”Claims that consumers will benefit is also illusionary,” we have a competition law in the country. Why is the anti-profiteering clause in the bill? I fail to understand this. This is a retrograde step”.

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Anandrao (Shiv Sena): High tax will increase the burden of consumers and this needs to be looked into.

Jayadev Galla (TDP): The GST will benefit the consuming states, but add to the agony of other states, including Andhra Pradesh. We are going to loose Rs 2,000 crore. Andhra Pradesh is loosing because there is a reduction in duty.

Konda Vishweshwar Reddy (TRS): The GST Bill is like a main dish of Ugadi festival, which is “khatta (sour), meetha (sweet) and kadwa (bitter) in taste.”

Mohammed Salim (CPI-M): Are we replacing Parliament with the GST Council?The government claims to
bring far reaching changes “but are we not outsourcing the law- making process? Are we making the GST Council a clone of Parliament?

WITH PTI INPUTS

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