BJP issues whip to party MPs for passage of key bills

New Delhi

BJP today issued a whip to its MPs in both Houses of Parliament till Friday to ensure their presence to help pass two constitutional amendment Bills pertaining to GST and land boundary agreement with Bangladesh, besides other key legislations.

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

The Constitutional amendment bill to introduce GST was passed by Lok Sabha while the other to operationalise the land boundary pact with Bangladesh was passed by Rajya Sabha today.

After the passage of land boundary bill in Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu said “this is something historic. All 181 members present in the House voted in favour of it.”

He said the legislation is pending since 1974 even though Bangladesh Parliament has passed the same long back. He said former Preime Minister Indira Gandhi had made this assurance to Bangladesh many years ago.

“I want to bring this on priority in Lok Sabha tomorrow,” Naidu said.

On the bill pertaining to GST, he said, the Lok Sabha passed the bill with an “overwhelming majority”. The bill is a revolutionary transformation of tax system in the country, he said, adding “I hope Rajya Sabha will also take a positive view on this bill”.

The GST bill will come up in Rajya Sabha tomorrow, besides the Appropriation Bill, which is a Constitutional requirement.

“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,” Naidu earlier said.

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 said 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”.

PTI