Multiple adjournments, ruckus and media boycott interrupted the proceedings of the first day of the special Assembly Session in Jammu & Kashmir reconvened on Tuesday to pass a resolution recommending implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the State.
The GST was not rolled out in Jammu & Kashmir on July 1 owing to the special constitutional position of the State that warrants ascent of the State legislature before the implementation of any uniform central law. The Opposition parties, traders, industrialists and separatists have expressed reservations on implementation of the law saying it would erode the special status of Jammu & Kashmir and rob its financial autonomy.
Both Houses of the legislature witnessed uproarious scenes as members from the Opposition and treasury Benches shouted and hurled abuses at each other. The Upper House was adjourned for the day when the members came to blows amid pandemonium. However, the Finance Minister Hasseb Drabu and Roads and Buildings Minister Naeem Akhtar introduced the resolution in the respective house for discussion.
“This House resolves that the Government of Jammu & Kashmir may give consent to the adoption of the GST regime by application of relevant amendments made to the Constitution of India in a modified manner to safeguard the existing special constitutional position of Jammu & Kashmir in the Union of India and the legislative powers under the Constitution of Jammu & Kashmir,” the resolution reads.
The Session began amid unprecedented curbs on mediapersons who were denied entry into the Assembly premises. The journalists were later asked to surrender cell phones, cameras and laptops before entering into the press gallery. The diktat irked the journalists who staged walkout from the Assembly and staged a sit-in outside the Assembly building. The Opposition members raised the issue inside the House and refused to take part in the discussions without media watching the proceedings.
later, Speaker Kavinder Gupta apologised to the protesting journalists. Earlier, law Minister AR Veeri and Infoirmation Minister Zulfikar Ali failed to convince the journalists to return to the press gallery. The curbs on the coverage were lifted.The State Information department had circulated directive for media persons not to carry mobiles, cameras, laptops and other gadgets inside the Press Gallery. Earlier, as the Session started, the Opposition across the party lines was up in protest. They were shouting slogans against the GST and accused the treasury Benches of being touts of New Delhi.
Before the Assembly Session began, police foiled a sit-in programme of the trade bodies outside the Assembly complex by arresting several leaders and activists.