SRINAGAR:
The implementation of Goods and Services Tax in J&K is likely to be uphill task, as opposition National Conference blamed the state government of playing with fire while as Hurriyat accused some cabinet ministers of being in league with Nagpur to implement the tax regime in the state.

The business organizations of Valley again issued a strong statement, reiterating that the GST in its current form will deprive J&K of its financial autonomy and its powers to legislate on the financial matters.

The statements of the opposition, Hurriyat and business chambers came a day after Mehbooba Mufti failed to build a consensus in an all party meeting over the GST regime. According to opposition leaders, who participated in the meeting, even PDP founder member and parliamentarian Muzaffar Hussain Baig accepted that the government was unclear over the implementation of the GST law and needs a revision.

"The government is suffering from acute confusion. It is trying to do in ten days, what it was not able to do in ten months. If GST is applied in its current form, we will oppose and fight it tooth and nail," former finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather, who also chaired the empowered committee on GST said here in Srinagar.

The implementation of the law in current form Rather, said would not only weaken the special status but also change the tax administration of the state. The National Conference leader suggested that the state should have the right to tax on the lines of what applies in some regions of Canada under reverse devolution law.

"Drabu would oppose the GST when we were in power and I don’t understand how everything has suddenly changed," said Rather.

The Hurriyat leaders, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer and Yasin Malik also issued a statement expressing concern that the proposed implementation of GST in state was a well thought out plane to cripple our trade and economy.

"Few state ministers are in league with authorities in Nagpur and are being lured to implement GST in state," the statement read.

The government has called for a special session to pass GST law from June 17, which is likely to be deferred even as the finance minister has assured that the GST in modified form will not impact the special status of the state.

"GST law shall in no way be acceptable as it tantamount to erosion of the special status of the state of J&K," read the statement of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

 16 Jun 2017, 12:28 PM