Thursday, August 4, 2016

On the trumpeting of GST unity

Don't wanna upset the (ahem.. mainstream-induced) celebrative mood, but will just point out that the last times all parties showed so much unity in getting a bill / amendment etc passed were:

- When they amended the Constitution to override the Election Commission's rules and so enabled candidated with serious criminal records to stand for elections from Panchayat to MP level,

- When they gave themselves an enormous pay raise and increase in perks. (btw, this was one of the things much hated about Congress/UPA, but was carried forward and not reversed or corrected after new govt took over in 2014.. so they get credit for being against Congress but bear no responsibility to reverse its bad policies).

People need to be most watchful when all the leaders suddenly start singing the same tune. And especially so when the mainstream media joins in as cheerleader and you're also getting whatsapp messages on groups from your compulsive forwarder friends instructing you that this is very good and you should be ecstatically happy about it. 

Just having bipartisan support doesn't necessarily make something good. It increases probability of it being good, but that's not guaranteed.

Well, this brings a vice-versa message from an earlier article : When they instruct you to absolutely love something that's yet to come, is going to impact your day to day life, and is supposed to be good for you, then take it with a pinch of salt (meaning: don't take their word for it, do your own research).

Here's some articles that came up with just a primary search for "GST flaws":

Articles from around Sep 2015 criticizing aspects of GST.. I'm yet to see if any of the questioned aspects have been satisfactorily remediated by now.
http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-why-the-gst-bill-may-be-flawed-and-conflicted-2080164
Why the GST Bill may be flawed and conflicted
... The 'biggest tax reform since 1947” was launched sans public consultation'..

http://www.rediff.com/money/report/column-flaws-in-indias-gst-defeats-its-purpose/20150916.htm
Flaws in India's GST defeats its purpose

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/gsts-seven-deadly-defects/
GST’s seven deadly defects
Government should abandon it, work towards a unified Central levy instead.

This is dated 18 July 2016:
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe-columnist/gst-bill-has-many-critical-flaws-that-must-be-fixed-asap/320842/
GST Bill has many critical flaws that must be fixed ASAP

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