Parliament highlights: Banking system on verge of collapse, ordinance last straw, says AITC's Saugata Roy

The whole banking system is on the verge of collapse, ordinance is a straw: Saugata Roy of Trinamool Congress

Trinamool Congress’ Saugata Roy echoes Veerappa Moily’s words, says The whole banking system is on the verge of collapse and this ordinance is a single straw. “How can we trust the RBI as it has not even been able to count the money that was collected during demonetisation,” says Roy.

Senguttavan says huge NPAs are due to declining sense of morality

Senguttavan from AIADMK says, “As banks advance huge capital to industries, they have to bear the brunt of the loss. It is necessary to restore PS banks to their original strength. The RBI has the powers to give directions to banks/ banking companies to ensure resolution of stressed assets. The huge NPAs are due to declining sense of morality.”

India is an over-legislated country, says Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury 

Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asks why the banking ordinance is required considering India is an over-legislated country.

Rahul Gandhi slams Narendra Modi over Parliament sessions

Finance minister Arun Jaitley says it was integral to incorporate J&K into GST law

Arun Jaitley says, “If we would not have integrated Jammu and Kashmir in GST, they would have missed out on input credit, making everything much more expensive. The revenue of Jammu and Kashmir would also have been higher.”

“Those who are advocating for single tax slab have learnt it from some western nation where there are no BPL population. Single tax slab is an argument against the poor and only for the wealthy,” says Jaitley.

In a convoluted manner, GST hurts the tax payer: TRS MP

Konda Vishweshwar Reddy of TRS says in general prices of products have gone up and in a convoluted manner, the GST hurts the tax payer. In an immediate effect, there is not only a dip in government collection. He added, a lot of Jammu and Kashmir has barter system and GST may adversely affect the whole system there.

BJP’s Thupstan Chhewang calls for removal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir

Chhewang calls for removal of Article 370 and requests the government to exempt Ladakh from GST for 5 years at least.

Consumers still don’t know what to expect of GST, says TDP’s Jayadev Galla 

TDP’s Jaydev Galla says GST has expanded India’s market and made it a world leader but there is still consumer ignorance. He added that consumers are yet to know what to look for and a campaign would benefit them. Galla also called for reconsideration of tax on textiles and sanitary napkins.

Some 61 items have been altered in the GST law since it was introduced, says BJD’s Tathagata Satpathy

BJD’s Tathagata Satpathy says the GST is not one state one tax system as they would like us to believe and since its introduction 61 items in the law has been altered. “It is one of the ways for data gathering. The private agency monitoring GST will have access to a lot of data,” says Satpathy. The BJD leader added, “How could the ministers have not seen as common citizens how the simplest of things can be corrupted through Indian bureaucracy? This just brings back the days of Congress rule.”

Congress party will not support Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Extension to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, 2017 

“Congress is with the GST Bill. But we are against the methods. Tax slabs were announced only before the tax was rolled out thereby making it difficult for people. Government has created tax only for the experts not for the common man. Jammu and Kashmir is a sensitive state. Its principal revenue generation is via tourism. We as a parliament have to make sure that its economy is not undermined by ‘Finance Ministry’s terrorism’. If GST is not rolled back, tourism is likely to suffer very badly in Kashmir. ,” Shashi Tharoor said. 

He said that it is important that the relationship of the Centre is maintained with the state, “and for that reason I and my party can’t support the bill.”

Rajya Sabha reconvenes amid Opposition uproar 

The House was reconvened at 2.25pm but soon afterwards the Opposition members walked into the Well. Slogans like “Modi teri Gundagardi nahi chalegi, nahi chalegi” and “Loktantra ki hatya, band karo band karo!" were raised in the Rajya Sabha. 

The deputy chairman PJ Kurien asked Union Minister of State in Finance and Corporate Affairs to move the Companies amendment bill despite the din. However, the Opposition took objection to this and said that how can a bill be moved when the House in not in order.

Opposition members troop to the Well in Rajya Sabha 

Opposition members trooped to the Well, protesting against the Karnataka I-T raids against DK Shivakumar. Amid chants of “stop the murder of democracy” a Congress member asked that the federal structure of India spells out Centre’s and State’s roles clearly. 

“Then what is this dictatorship that the Centre deployed CRPF in the state without keeping the local administration in loop,” he asked.

Gujarat Congres MLA counters Arun Jaitley’s statement in House, claims he has video footage of I-T raids at resort

Gujarat Congress MLA Shaktisinh Gohil rebutted the finance minister’s statement in the House, claiming that the rooms of the MLAs were also searched. He also claimed that he has video footage of the I-T officials searching the resort premises. 

Meanwhile.. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah claims I-T dept did not keep local police in loop

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah said that the I-T department did not keep the local police in loop, instead CRPF was deployed. This revelation is likely to spur further protests in Parliament as both Houses will meet after 2.00 pm. 

Govt wants to empty the Opposition benches in both Houses: Congress leader Kapil Sibal 

Political killings in Kerala not limited to targetting RSS, BJP: Meenakshi Lekhi

​

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi alleged that several Congress, CPI, and Muslim League workers have also been targetted. She said that she fails to understand how those parties were silent on the deaths of their own people just to participate in political conspiracy against BJP.

BJP raises ‘political killings’ of BJP, RSS workers in Kerala

BJP MP Meenakshi MP reads out 14 BJP, RSS workers names allegedly killed in Kerala adding that the names may not ring a bell now but if someone speaks about Pehlu Khan or Akhlaq, people immediately reconnect. 

Quoting several other instances of incidents of violence, where victims were Hindus, Lekhi said that the selective outrage on political murders is not acceptable.

“I warn everyone that if this kind of vendetta goes on in this country. Then no other party will be present in this democracy. Do not terrorise or threaten people, otherwise the government will not function,” says Leader of Congress party in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge.

Congerss walks out of Lok Sabha

​

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge told the speaker that the government’s attitude towards the Opposition is wrong and against the principles of democracy. He then staged a walk out, followed by all Congress MPs adding that the party condemns the politically motivated action.

Arun Jaitley denies vendetta, says no MLA harassed or approached

Responding to Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge’s allegations, Union minister Arun Jaitley said that the I-T raids were solely targeted on Karnataka power minister DK Shivakumar. 

Jaitley said that the only reason I-T officials visited the resort was to interrogate and escort Shivakumar. He also added that the MLAs were neither searched nor approached by any official.

Congress wants laws related to medical abortion amended

Congress members espoused the amendment of the current laws outlawing medical abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, citing the case of a 10-year-old rape victim who could not get the foetus aborted owing to the law. 

Congress leader Ambika Soni said that the laws should be made to aide human beings and the humans should not be forced to fit the law.

Meanwhile… JD(U) chooses to remain neutral on Karnataka I-T raids

JD(U) leader KC Tyagi, seeking to pull a balancing act on the issue, conceded that the timing of the I-T department’s crackdown could have been questionable. He, however, added that the findings of the tax department from the raids could be important.