Modi breaks ice with Sonia, Manmohan on GST but chill persists

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, keeping hopes alive for the enactment of the Goods and Services Tax Bill before the beginning of the next financial year. The 45-minute meeting at 7, Race Course Road did not result in an immediate breakthrough, but it did serve to break the ice between the government and the Congress, with the latter consistently alleging that the ruling party was riding roughshod over the Opposition in Parliament. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu were also present during the meeting. Sonia reiterated her party’s three main demands — 18 per cent cap on the tax, formation of a GST Disputes Settlement Authority and scrapping of the proposed one per cent additional tax that ends up favouring producer states. The government presented its viewpoint with facts and figures. While the government would review its standpoint keeping in mind the Congress’s views, Sonia did not make any commitment and told Modi that she would discuss the government’s proposal internally within her party. A second meeting is likely to take place next week. - Indian Express