Government’s money bill route for GST draws TMC ire
O’Brien slams finance minister Jaitley for bypassing Rajya Sabha.
Kolkata: Trinamul MP Derek O’Brien on Sunday expressed disappointment over the BJP’s recent introduction the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bills in the Parliament as Money Bills “essentially bypassing the Rajya Sabha and ignoring its views”.
He also mocked finance minister Arun Jaitley saying if the Finance Minister were to be a footballer, he would be wearing jersey number 110 as a tribute to Article 110 - under which a Bill can be declared a Money Bill and moved out of the jurisdictional purview of the Rajya Sabha.
The chief national spokesperson of the party,.took to his Facebook page and wrote, “After sterling and cross-party work to bring the GST regime into effect, it was disappointing that the BJP-led government introduced the GST Bills in Parliament as Money Bills. This allowed it to essentially bypass the Rajya Sabha, ignore its views, and let the government romp home on the basis of its Lok Sabha majority. It was typical of the government’s attitude towards the Rajya Sabha, which it sees as a nuisance, and not as a House where the representatives of states and state governments get to have a considered say.”
Alleging that Mr Jaitley had mocked the Rajya Sabha by dismissing it as a delaying mechanism for legislation, he questioned, “Why must we take such strong positions, ignoring lessons of the past and motivated only by immediate political bickering?” He wrote, “Many great footballers - Pele, Maradona, Messi - have worn jersey number 10. With Mr Jaitley, it would be Number 110 as a tribute to Article 110 - under which a Bill can be declared a Money Bill and moved out of the jurisdictional purview of the Rajya Sabha. Article 110 is liberally used these days, for everything from the Aadhar Bill to the GST legislations.”.He further wrote, “In terms of the government’s attitude towards the Rajya Sabha too, we need GST: Good Sense to Triumph.”
He urged BJP colleagues “to exercise the Rajya Sabha’s authority as a deliberative check on the executive, not as a deliberate hindrance, but as a moral guardian,” even if it was their party running the government.