Negative mindset of Congress stalling GST Bill: BJP

New Delhi, Jan 16: Launching a counter offensive on Rahul Gandhi on Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, BJP today alleged Congress was "never serious" about it and the opposition party's "negative mindset" was delaying the key tax reforms legislation.

Dubbing Rahul Gandhi as a "non-serious, half-politician", BJP attacked him for his remark that his party would back the GST provided its three conditions were met and said he should clearly state whether Congress was in favour of or against it, instead of "diverting" the issue.

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Instead of playing anti-development, anti-poor politics, Rahul Gandhi should tell the country upfront whether his party supports the GST Bill or not. The Congress should stop beating around the bush on the issue and come out clean on whether or not it backs the GST Bill, crucial for the country's development," BJP's national Secretary and media cell incharge Shrikant Sharma said.

Accusing the Congress leadership of "deliberately disrupting" Parliament to stall GST, he said, Congress was "never serious" about the Bill and the draft bill prepared by UPA was opposed by several Congress-ruled states, while the draft GST bill prepared by BJP was "mostly acceptable to most states".

"Yet the Congress high command, for its petty political motives, disrupted Parliament to stall the GST. When the court did not exempt them from personal appearance in the National Herald case, Congress leaders held Parliament hostage and hampered the GST Bill," he said.

Taking on Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the government for allegedly mishandling the Pathankot terror attack, he said, "a non-serious and half-politician like Rahul Gandhi should introspect before speaking on serious national security matters".

"Rahul Gandhi was holidaying in Europe when Pathankot base was attacked. Making non-serious statements bereft of facts on serious subjects is not good. A non-serious and half- politician like Rahul Gandhi should make mature statements on sensitive issues. He should introspect before he speaks," he said, accusing Rahul of resorting to misleading rhetoric to divert the attention of the people from "his bail in the Rs 5000 crore National Herald case".

PTI