Jammu traders write to Modi over state BJP’s ‘silence’ on GST

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 22

In a major embarrassment for the ruling alliance partner, BJP, Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jammu (JCCI) today shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah questioning the “utter silence” of the party’s state unit on the GST implementation in J&K from July 1.

The JCCI made it clear that the traders and the business community were perplexed and utter confusion that being the ruling coalition partner in the state, the BJP unit of J&K was silent.

“It is extremely unfortunate that the utter silence of state BJP unit on the implementation of the GST with effect from July 1 is proving disastrous for the business community on the whole in our state,” Rakesh Gupta, JCCI president wrote in the communication.

Gupta, who chaired an urgent meeting of the office-bearers of JCCI today, added, “We feel perplexed that being the coalition ruling partner of the J&K Government, your state unit is silent and not coming out in open support for the implementation of GST in line with the nation.”

Gupta while expressing serious concern regarding non-serious attitude adopted by the government said: “In the past as well, the silence of the state unit of the BJP had left no choice for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and rather forced us to go for Jammu bandh to press our genuine demands. We request them to intervene urgently and direct the state BJP unit to stand up to the occasion or else the chamber shall have no choice but to stand by the side of the nation and not the separatist forces in our state,” the JCCI chief said.

Pertinently, the JCCI, during a meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and office-bearers of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Srinagar on June 14, had demanded that “special powers with the government of J&K to tax or review should not be surrendered by the state government to the GST Council”.

The Kashmir-based politicians and separatist groups have opposed the extension of the GST to J&K in its present form. They have virtually conspired to kill the GST regime, making it an issue as the country’s onslaught on Kashmir’s autonomy. The new tax system cannot be implemented directly in J&K by virtue of its special status under Article 370. Traders and businessmen of Jammu have always associated themselves with the BJP.

Yesterday, the Chamber of Traders Federation (CTF) had backed the Centre’s move to implement the GST across the country from July 1. It had also threatened to launch an agitation if the ruling PDP-BJP failed to take a clear-cut decision on the implementation of the GST in the state.

The letter states…

"It is extremely unfortunate that the utter silence of the state BJP unit on the implementation of the GST with effect from July 1 is proving disastrous for the business community on the whole in J&K."  Rakesh Gupta, JCCI President