NL Correspondent
SRINAGAR: The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has further widened the differences between Jammu and Kashmir with valley's civil society Thursday warned of launching civil disobedience movement if it was extended to the state.
The Jammu traders and political parties have supported the GST and had threatened stir if it was not implemented.
But their counterparts in Kashmir have diverse views on it. It has put the government in a difficult situation.
On Thursday, some Kashmir Centre for Social and Developmental Studies (KSCDS), had organized a round table conference at a local hotel here in which representatives of political parties, trade bodies, industrialists, former bureaucrats, a retired Judge, columnists, professors were claimed to have participated.
After the conclusion of the conference, a resolution was unanimously passed which said they would fight to safeguard the state's autonomy on fiscal matters. “If the state goes ahead and gives concurrence to implement the GST in the present form, the civil society will launch a civil disobedience movement. The state should come up with a draft legislation to ensure state's autonomy on fiscal matters is safeguarded. It should be fought in all means,” the resolution said.
Earlier in his speech, Justice Hasnain Masoodi, retired High Court Judge, said the implementation of the GST would be a “biggest ever assault” on the state's autonomy in the last three decades.
“It will brutalize our constitution,” he claimed.
He said, “The Article 370 is a barrier but the political parties want to open this tunnel. Government of India can't implement the GST unless JK legislation gives its concurrence. It is a big deceit,” he said.
“Will state government have then powers on tax imposition and exemption if the GST is implemented,” he asked JK Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu.
Prof Hameeda Naeem, who chaired the conference, claimed that fiscal autonomy of the state would be eroded by implementing the GST.
“It is the last opportunity to save the fiscal autonomy. It won't be allowed the way government wants to implement it,” she said.
CPI M leader and MLA Kulgam, M Y Tarigami said the implementation of the GST concerns the entire society.
“It is an attack on very fundamentals which have been so far protected. Constitution of India is itself under attack by the GST. It is an attack on basics of constitution which grants certain amount of fiscal and political autonomy to states. Whatever little autonomy is left we should not give them it as a gift,” he said.
MLA Langate, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, said the people in JK had allowed the Government of India to do such things, which goes against the state's interests.
“They want to snatch everything which makes JK a unique symbol,” he said.
Former minister, Ghulam Hassan Mir, said he would support the GST only if it protects the fiscal autonomy of the state.
Shami Oberio said the NC would support the GST only in the modified form.
Another representative of the NC, Showkat Ahmad Mir said, “Government should come up with a blue print on the GST then put in public domain and discuss it.”
Former chairman of the State Public Service Commission, Mohammad Shafi Pandit termed the Finance Minister's statements on the GST “misleading”.
“We are not against the GST system but it has to maintain the autonomy of the state,” he said.
Noted economist Prof Nisar Ali, said it won't affect our economy if the GST is not implemented here,” he said.
G R Sufi, former Chief Information Commissioner said: “The National Conference and the Congress should not have boycotted the all party meet on the GST. We should learn from historical mistakes. Boycotting meeting is a political drama and want to surrender before the ruling parties.”
