‘Rajya Sabha arithmetic changing in GST favour’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday warned those who hold black money to declare it under the new amnesty scheme by September 30.

He said that to deal with the menace of black money, he has prematurely retired and transferred many officials in the income-tax department for non-performance. However, Mr Modi said, he has also directed his officials not to harass people.

On the stalled GST bill, Mr Modi said the Congress has made it a prestige issue but expressed confidence that the evolving arithmetic in the Rajya Sabha will ensure that the legislation would be passed soon.

“The GST is beneficial for the poor people of the states represented by them (chief ministers who support GST), because those states will economically benefit the most from GST... This is why, be it Mamata Banerjee, be it Nitish Kumar, be it Akhilesh Yadav or Naveen Patnaik, all these states want the GST bill to be passed at the earliest,” the PM said.

Referring to the discussions he had with former PM Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, “I will keep trying. I am ready to convince them in whichever way possible. If I have to convince someone over a cup of tea at their house, I am even ready for that. I have no problem...” he said.

Mr Modi said he had made all efforts and held talks at every level. “But despite this, On wilful defaulters leaving the country, Mr Modi said the law will catch up with them. “The people of India have the confidence that if there’s someone who can do this, it is Narendra Modi and he will do it. [The] Citizens have full confidence,” he said.