SRINAGAR: Coinciding with the assembly discussing and debating the GST, the authorities have arrested Yasin Khan, the trade union leader spearheading the anti-GST movement in the state.
Reports said police raided his residence and arrested Khan soon after the crack of dawn ad moved him to some unknown destination. Khan was slated to lead an anti-GST protest in the city even as trade has decided to unfurl black flags o Tuesday.
The arrest came hours before the state assembly resumes for a short recess to discuss and debate the GST and recommend the diluted extension of the Amendment 101 of the Constitution of India. The sitting, expected to go beyond two days, came after hectic discussion and debate within the state’s political class for which the government had to constitute All Party Consultative Group led by former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig.
The government used the official media massively to put across its stand that state, unlike rest of India, will have a special GST though not a separate on. It has been insisting that it will having enough of constitutional and administrative control over the overall taxation set-up. While it has assured all these things, the government has stopped short of revealing the final and the finer details of its GST ideation.
While the state assembly is meeting after many days of discussion, formal and informal, the government has imposed certain restrictions on the media coverage of the session. An official spokesman of the government said the media persons carrying cameras, both still and motion, and cell phones will not be permitted into the house. “Only pen and paper,” he said, almost echoing to the pre-IT era. He offered no idea why it is being done, for the first time. “This is the direction of the Speaker.”
