GST politics and mother-in-law syndrome

It was perhaps during the stone age cultures that the mother-in-law came into being. We have moved into the age of virtual world (Maya?) but mothers-in-law continue to dominate the psyche of human beings. You don't believe? See Whatsapp messages, jokes shared but do forget real life experiences. But, I never thought the our politics is also afflicted with this syndrome.

Mothers-in-law justify their acts towards their Bahus by putting up a defence that what she is subjecting her Bahu to she faced it herself when she was a Bahu. They also claim that they are not the kind of tyrants their mothers-in-law used to be. They project a moderate and more plausible face by inventing new logic every other generation. I am afraid same could be said about Indian politics. GST Bill is a classic example of this attitude.

It was in 2007-08 when the then finance minister P Chidambaram proposed to implement the GST Bill by April 1, 2011. It was the deadline, which seemed very far into future. UPA-I would have been gone by then. New government would have taken any call. But, Chidambaram knew it well. He had faith in continuity of the coalition-in-government. So, he wished to usher in the second generation reform through a unified goods and services tax bill.

Chidambaram continued to appeal to the then opposition block led by the BJP till 2014 to pass the GST Bill. But, the BJP always found some fault with it. Its approach was so frustrating that just ahead of the budget session of the deadline year, 2011 the then prime minister Manmohan Singh lashed out at the BJP in his interaction with TV media editors. He was so convinced of the BJP's strategy that he did not talk of finding a meeting ground. 

Five years down the line the now ruling BJP and its prime minister sees some hope in the Congress as Narendra Modi talked of reaching a consensus and passing the GST Bill. But, the Congress does not look in the mood of let it go. The treatment that the BJP meted out to their reforms haunts the Congress so badly that it is hellbent on forcing the BJP swallow the same bitter pill. The mother-in-law syndrome.

File Photo: P Chidambaram and Narendra Modi

Earlier BJP led by the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi opposed GST Bill saying the states would suffer loss. Now, the Congress wants a constitutional guarantee for the same. Back then Narendra Modi has suggested tax-autonomy for Gujarat. (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080613/jsp/frontpage/story_9405524.jsp)

But, now the Congress wants constitutional amendment for any future change in tax rates.

The GST deadlock is purely political. It's been 25 years when India opened itself to the world but the same political party is blocking the way for opening India to the Indians in what is being termed a next generation reform, which the former prime minister and the architect of the first reforms, Manmohan Singh called an 'envy of the world'. And, the other party is now pleading for reforms. The court of politics remains the same, the players have switched sides. The ball is yet to rest.