Jammu Kashmir Coordination Committee Wednesday while demanding the withdrawal of Presidential Order with regard to Goods and Service Tax asked New Delhi to declare Jammu and Kashmir as Free Economic Zone (FEZ). Jammu Kashmir Coordination Committee (JKCC) made these demands during a press conference here in Srinagar. Various traders including Shaqeel Qalandar, Zahoor Ahmed Tramboo, Bashir Ahmed Rather, Arshid Andrabi, Mukhtayar Yousuf, Dr Mubeen Shah, Manzoor Ahmed Bhat and others.Reacting over the boasting of State Government about the safeguarding the special position while extending the central GST law to the State, JKCC said that after analyzing the presidential order it was found out that the State Government by its false propaganda, had not only hoodwinked people of the State but also their own legislators.The suggestion of the trade bodies to make separate GST law for the State of Jammu and Kashmir which could synchronized with the Union law had been consigned to the dust bin. The State Government had only ended up in collaborating with the central government to extend the same law to the state that was otherwise extended by the union government to every other state of India.”They said that presidential order over GST will have serious ramifications.
“After analyzing the Presidential Order and consulting the legal experts and luminaries we have arrived at this conclusion that Jammu and Kashmir Government has surrendered the power to pursue its own fiscal policy,“The state legislature and state cabinet have been reduced to zero on financial matters. The absolute powers on taxation have been surrendered to the GST council. J&K had absolute powers to tax services by its own law. This exclusive authority has also been surrendered. J&K has been reduced to dependence from that of autonomy. We have lost greatly politically, hence constitutionally. This is the 47th deceit inflicted upon the people of J&K and is the last nail in the coffin of financial autonomy.”The JKCC demands that the withdrawal of Presidential Order, roll back of GST law passed in the legislature and declaration of J&K as free economic zone (FEZ).“In the event of Government not acceding to our demands, within a week’s time, the JKCC will be forced to continue its agitation and shall intensify it across the state at all levels till our demands are met,” the JKCC said. (CNS)