CHANDIGARH – The divide between the ruling partners, the SAD and the BJP, is out in the open with the Akalis hitting back at BJP leaders reminding them of coalition dharma.
The latest in a series verbal spats was the withdrawal of input tax credit as demanded by the BJP. Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi had earlier called a press conference in Amritsar and threatened to launch an agitation if the demand was not met.
While the government withdrew the amendment to the Punjab VAT Act 2005, for availing the input tax credit yesterday, the SAD today advised Joshi not to play politics and urged state BJP president Kamal Sharma to direct the former to follow the coalition dharma as well as decisions of the state Cabinet.
The Akalis said the BJP leaders had agreed to decisions taken in joint meetings, but later criticised the same for political gains.
In a statement here, SAD general secretary and party core committee member Maheshinder Singh Grewal said Joshi’s remarks against the government were uncalled for. “It was shocking considering the fact that Joshi was part of the decision-making process.
He had participated in the Cabinet meeting held in October 2013 in which it was decided to amend section 13(1) of the VAT Act .”
Joshi had reportedly said yesterday that the BJP was not willing for any compromise on the matter and that it would have gone to any extent to ensure relief for the traders. He said all ministers needed to exercise restraint and adhere to the principles of coalition dharma. Speaking on the issue of the input tax credit, Grewal said the SAD-BJP Government believed in taking feedback from people on decision affecting them.
“It was only after getting feedback from trader groups that Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal decided to roll back tax on unsold stocks,” he said, adding senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia had also made a plea in this regard to the Deputy Chief Minister.
