Trinamool Congress To Skip Midnight GST Launch

Kolkata, June 28 (IANS) Raising concern over the launch of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime from July 1, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the unnecessary disastrous hurry will be an epic blunder of the Centre, after the demonetisation move.

"We are deeply concerned about the GST implementation. After demonetisation, this unnecessary disastrous hurry is another epic blunder of the Centre. We have been for GST from the beginning but are very worried now with the way the central government is going ahead with the implementation," she said.

"Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement the GST have fallen on deaf ears," she said in a Facebook post.

In a bid to protest the move, the Trinamool Congress would not attend the midnight programme in Parliament to mark the GST roll-out on June 30, she said.

"Our Parliamentary Party has decided not to attend the June 30 midnight programme at Parliament House to celebrate the GST, as a mark of protest," Banerjee said.

She said the entire business community, especially the small and medium units, was scared and confused.

"Only 60 hours are left before this ill-planned launch and no one knows for sure what's happening!" she said.

Attacking the BJP government, she said: "The current ruling party at the Centre had initially strongly opposed GST for over seven years and suddenly did a somersault on coming to office as a champion of GST."

Banerjee also alleged essential commodities such as medicines were "not available in many places and prices of various commodities" were rising for lack of clarity and mismanagement.

"We have always been fighting for maintaining the federal structure of the country, even if Bengal at times was the lone voice and conscience of the GST Council," she said.

Banerjee said there are almost 20 different taxes in the present tax regime and it was felt that one single tax and integration of all markets across the country would provide big relief to all.

She also said that the three-day strike declared by the textile industries provides the evidence for her party's deep concern on the lack of preparedness for the new tax regime.

"We are saying that the economy is not yet ready to face the GST from July 1...small business entities are not yet ready with the basic requirements like invoice, accounting system, IT system, etc. Another piece of evidence of unpreparedness comes from the fact that the Return Form had to be simplified for the first six months as all systems are not in place," she said.

It was shocking that the e-way bill system has not yet been designed and states were being asked to run their own systems as a stop-gap arrangement, Banerjee said.

"We feel, at least six months will further be necessary to notify all rules and procedures and give enough time to the stakeholders, particularly the small and medium enterprises, to successfully implement the GST," she said, adding that otherwise a chaotic situation may arise in our vast economy for which the "Government of India will be primarily responsible".

"I hope the voices of the people and businesses are being heard and being paid heed to by the central government," Banerjee added.