GST, land boundary Bills: BJP issues whip to MPs

New Delhi: BJP on May 6 issued a whip to its MPs in both Houses of Parliament till Friday to ensure their presence during the passage of two constitutional amendment Bills pertaining to the GST and land boundary agreement with Bangladesh, for which it has also sought the support of all parties.

Stating that the two legislations were in the country's interest, the government on May 6 said the amendment Bill to introduce GST will come up in Lok Sabha on May 6 while the one to operationalise the land boundary agreement with Bangladesh will be taken up in Rajya Sabha.

"BJP has issued a whip to all its MPs till Friday to be present during voting on important bills in Parliament," sources told PTI. "GST is a revolutionary tax legislation brought after consultation with all states. It has been pending for many years now and was brought by the last government. We feel it should be passed in this session itself. To get the Bill passsed is in the nation's interest," Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.

Addressing party MPs at a meet of the BJP Parliamentary Party here, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley gave details of the Bill, saying "it is a revolutionary taxation reform that will help arrest the leakage of revenue, end corruption, the burden of multiple taxation and harassment of common people".

Naidu termed it "a very progressive piece of legislation" and said the government "appeals to all political parties to support the Bill". He added that the concerns raised by the states have been addressed to the maximum extent and, if issues still remain, they can be taken up later. He said the Bill will be put to vote after the Finance Minister replies.

Regarding the Bill to operationalise the land boundary agreement with Bangladesh, Naidu again assured that "it was in the nation's interest". "Our boundary will be secured, fencing will be done with Bangladesh and there will be no further infiltration. The road distance between India and Bangladesh will also be reduced and good ties will be maintained... We decided to accept Congress's suggestion of including Assam in the agreement, after it initially opposed it," he said.

Asked to comment on Congress's threat to stage a walkout during the passage of the GST Bill, Naidu said, "I earnestly hope they will understand the need for a tax reform Bill and will support it."