<b>A K Bhattacharya</b>: Time to arrest the GST slide

That the tax reform fell prey to demonetisation is beyond dispute

It is arguably the biggest irony in India today. The goods and services tax (GST), hailed as a game-changing reform, is getting scuttled by a rare coalition of Opposition political forces whose unity on this issue has been indisputably triggered by the government’s disruptive move on demonetisation. Yet few tears are being shed over the imminent postponement of the launch of GST.

The uncomfortable fact that most government representatives would refuse to recognise is that GST’s roll-out from April, which was almost certain before November 8, will rank as one of the biggest casualties of demonetisation. Why demonetisation could not