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GST Row: Conflicting statements of Govt akin to playing with fire, warns KCCI

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‘Drabu once called Rather a traitor for even associating with GST’

‘He considers himself to be the only expert which smacks of arrogance’

Srinagar: Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) on Friday in a statement said that the organization will strongly oppose any attempt by the Government to forcibly or clandestinely implementing GST in its present.

The Camber has called upon the government as not to create conditions reminiscent of 2008.

“It will take away our financial autonomy enjoyed by us in terms of Section 5 of the Constitution of Jammu & Kashmir. It also violates our special status guaranteed under Art. 370. The KCC&I will oppose any such move and instead calls upon the Government to respect the wishes of vast majority of people and not create conditions reminiscent of 2008,” read a statement from the Chamber.

The Chamber said that the conflicting statements of the Government regarding the issue are akin to playing with fire. The statement pointed out that one senior member of the PDP has been given the task to find a meaningful way out however on the other hand the Finance Minister is misleading the people.

“No one knows what magic wand Mr. Drabu has with which he seeks to banish all the evil effects of GST in its present form,” the statement added.

“KCCI fails to understand the conflicting statements of the Government, whereby on one hand a committee headed by PDP MP & a legal stalwart (Muzaffar Beigh) is tasked with the job of finding ways and means to protect our financial autonomy.”

The statement further added, “But on the other hand the Finance Minister is using all available means of media to mislead people and say things far from the truth. This is akin to playing with fire at a time when Kashmir is passing through a critical period in its history.”

The Chamber also pointed out that Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu once called the then Minister of Finance Abdul Rahim Rather a traitor for being associated with the GST.

However now, the minister is speaking a totally different language.

“It is an irony that till yesterday Mr.Drabu was calling the former Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather a traitor for even being associated with GST empowered Committee but today he is speaking a totally different language.”

“No one knows what magic wand Mr. Drabu has with which he seeks to banish all the evil effects of GST in its present form,” the statement added.

The apex trade body demanded that Drabu should come out clean on the issue.

“We demand that he makes it public to enable people to understand instead of lying to people. He considers himself to be the only expert which smacks of arrogance.”

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