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When Congress president Sonia Gandhi led the Opposition walkout over the goods and services tax (GST) Bill in the Lok Sabha, it was indicative of an increasing tendency of political opponents to close ranks making government functioning difficult. Not only did the Congress, Trinamool Congress, the Left parties and the Nationalist Congress Party walk out, even otherwise 'friendly' parties of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government such as the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Biju Janata Dal, too, opposed the consideration of the GST Bill. For the Narendra Modi-led government, the second half of the Budget session is proving to be a navigation through choppy waters with the GST Bill running into rough weather and the contentious land Bill yet to come up. Both the Bills are critical for the National Democratic Alliance's reforms agenda.
A Congress floor manager in the Rajya Sabha made it amply clear by saying: "There is no meeting ground for us with the government as far as the land Bill goes. Already, there have been fireworks in both the Houses over the recent farmer suicide coupled with the farmer distress due to the government's anti-farmer policies and the ongoing discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the agrarian crisis is yet to conclude. We shall not let this government get away with its anti-poor policies."
Janata Dal (United)'s K C Tyagi, also a member of the upper House, said: "The 14-party joint combine that had marched in protest against the NDA's land Bill to the Rashtrapati Bhavan still exists. We are working together on the land Bill issue and will be opposing the government if it tries to bring in the Bill in the House."
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Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi explained that the Congress was not opposed to the GST Bill in principle but to the "hurry with which the Bill was being pushed. It is after all a UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Bill".
"We are exposing the hypocrisy and double-speak of the BJP. First, they delayed it when the UPA tried to bring it in. Now, when in power, they make changes without discussion and don't refer it to the Standing Committee. We want it to be referred to a time-bound standing committee," stated Singhvi.
Other Opposition parties, especially regional parties, have indicated that if their state-specific concerns are taken care of, they are unlikely to oppose the GST Bill. AIADMK's M Thambidurai, for instance, claimed the GST Bill would result in Tamil Nadu losing as much as Rs 16,000 crore.
While government sources indicate the land Bill would not be brought in before May 5, both the Houses till then will be busy with passing the demand for grants. In the Lok Sabha, the demand for grants on the ministries of home, environment and forests, and health will be taken up, while in the Rajya Sabha, the demand for grants for the ministries of law and justice, petroleum and external affairs will be taken up this week.
For the government with the popular mood turning against it in the backdrop of farmer suicides and agrarian crisis, it will be an uphill task to get its reforms agenda going especially in the upper House where it doesn't have the numbers.
