With reference to the report, "GST may be delayed further as parties get poll-ready" (February 5), although the government has announced the schedule of Parliament's Budget session with high hopes of getting crucial Bills related to goods and services tax (GST), bankruptcy and real estate regulation passed, the mood of the Opposition leaders indicates that they would be sitting on the other side of the fence.
The Opposition parties appear to be more concerned with their political fate in the Assembly elections in five states - West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry - later this year than in lending the central government a helping hand in passing pending Bills during the Budget session.
If the Opposition parties divert their attention to the Assembly elections, that would be another instance of a democratic opportunity lost. Such a negative development would not augur well for the nation. After all, how long will the Indian economy have to wait and suffer before these representatives of the people get their priorities right and learn lessons from their mistakes?
Why has the Congress, as the main Opposition party, consistently tried to impose its political wishes by creating obstacles in the passage of the GST Bill and other legislation? Does it not seem that it is desperately trying to run the government by proxy?
However, if Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu are still hoping that the Opposition will "see reason" and ensure the passage of the GST Bill they must be daydreaming. If the Budget session turns out to be unproductive like the previous two parliamentary sessions because the Opposition by dint of its majority in the Rajya Sabha decides to stall proceedings, this would be a travesty of democracy. Are Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi listening?
Kumar Gupt, Panchkula
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201 · E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number
