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Congress today said the party was not opposed to the black money bill but pitched for referring it to the Standing Committee when it is taken up in Rajya Sabha claiming that it was basically a criminal law bill having TADA like provisions.
The AICC also stuck to its demand for sending the GST Bill to the Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP and its allies do not have a majority. The bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha.
"Legislative scrutiny of important laws is a must as they have a long term impact and far reaching implications affecting several generations," Congress spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters.
The black money bill, officially known as the Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets (Imposition of Tax) Bill, 2015, was passed by the Lok Sabha today. At that time, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley rejected the opposition demand of sending the bill to Parliamentary Standing Committee for scrutiny.
"Bills must not be rushed through. Legislative scrutiny is being bypassed by design... You cannot treat Parliament as a rubber-stamp," he said, disputing Jaitley's claim that if the black money bill is not passed immediately India will face flight of capital.
Sharma claimed India has several laws to deal with such problem.
On the GST Bill, Sharma said the government should realise that no Constitution amendment bill could be passed without Congress support. GST is a Constitution amendment bill. "The country needs GST, but it cannot be half hearted," he said.
In an apparent reference to talks in the ruling party circle for a joint session of Parliament to get the bills passed, Sharma said "misleading claims" are being made but the fact is that a Constitution amendment bill is not like any other bill.
