Manmohan Singh Skips GST Launch Event Owing to Congress’ Boycott

Mamata Banerjee has warned that chaos may ensue in the economy if ample time is not taken to launch the GST.

• Former PM Manmohan Singh skips GST launch event
  
• Congress, TMC choose to boycott the event
  
• Former PM HD Deve Gowda was accorded a place on the dais
  
• Others to attend the launch include President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan
  

Ex-PM Manmohan Singh Skips Launch Event

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has skipped the launch event of GST, owing to Congress' boycott of the ceremony.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Telangana Ananda Bhaskar Rapolu protested against GST in front of the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex.

Those attending the event included another former PM, HD Deve Gowda, who was accorded a place on the dais.

Others to attend the launch include President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, besides Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar.

SP to Decide on GST Support on Friday

The Samajwadi Party did not show its hand on the issue of supporting the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Parliament on Friday.

“Whether we will attend the midnight GST launch tomorrow will be known tomorrow only. We will take a decision in this regard tomorrow,” SP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Agarwal told PTI.

Agarwal went to say that the SP was opposed to the GST, and would not support it.

GST is a black law and it will be similar to re- establishment of the East India Company in the country.

Naresh Agarwal

Venkaiah Naidu Tells Parties Not to Politicise GST

Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Friday advised political parties not to politicise the GST, saying the country was bound to benefit hugely from the tax initiative in the long run. Naidu said at a press conference in Dehradun:

The long-term effects of the GST will be highly beneficial for the country’s economy but it may have initial, short-term negative effects on inflation and the GDP.

Requesting people not to panic about the effects of GST, he asked them to be prepared for it. Naidu also said:

Except for tax evaders, no one needs to panic about GST. I want to ask people to suffer its initial effects along with us for long-term gains and benefits.

Also Read: It’s a Publicity Stunt, Can’t be Party to GST ‘Tamasha’: Congress

Arun Jaitley Urges Opposition to Attend GST Launch

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today appealed to the Congress and Left parties to reconsider their decision to boycott the gala GST launch event, saying the landmark indirect tax reform was a result of joint decisions and they cannot run away from it now.

Hundreds of decisions on GST including rules as also the tax rates were taken by consensus in the GST Council which comprises of not just the Centre but also representatives of all states run by different political parties, he said. As quoted by PTI, Jaitley said:

I can say this without fear of contradiction that there has never been this (kind of) exercise, of this kind of political consultation and political consensus in bringing the GST.

Jaitley added that every government has been equal participant in the decision and no one can through “a symbolic political gesture can disassociate with it”.

GST, he said, is in the national interest. “Every political party should have the courage to own up a reform for which they had voted for,” said Jaitley.

Jaitley hoped that the parties which have decided not to participate in the inaugural function will reconsider their positions.