Opposition must display broad shoulders: Arun Jaitley on GST celebration boycott

The biggest tax reform since Independence, Goods and Services Tax (GST) will roll out on July 1.

A GST celebration has been organised by the central government at the parliamentary house on June 30 midnight.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present at the celebration.

However, several political parties like Congress, Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the Left have decided not to attend the midnight celebrations, though the GST bill earlier received a consensus of all parties.

Speaking about the GST implementation, Jaitley said: "This is not a decision of the central government. It is equally a decision of 31 state governments and Union Territories who have been a party to it. And these are representing different political complexions. They now must display broad shoulders and own up this decision.Symbolic boycotts are not any kind of evidence for disassociation from this decision."

Earlier, main opposition party, the Congress, along with TMC, RJD and Left supported the passage of GST bill. West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra raised objection to the tax slabs allotted to some of the items, which was later reported to be resolved.

Opposition has cited the unprepared small and medium scale industry as the reason for their boycott. They called it an implementation in hurry.

"As far as the government is concerned, it remains committed to GST as to any other reform process because we believe this is probably the single most important taxation reform in the last 70 years and I am sure it will prove beneficial to the economy and the country itself" Jaitley added.

Another Union minister, Venkaiah Naidu, too attacked the Opposition for boycotting GST celebration at midnight.

"Both the President and Prime Minister will be present at the parliamentary house on June 30. They [Opposition parties who boycotted GST celebrations] can't even show respect to them by being present," Naidu said on Thursday.

"Goods and Services Tax (GST) is transformatory and revolutionary taxation system," he added.

At a press conference, Naidu said people of India are waiting for the roll out of GST. "Everybody is congratulating us for the GST. Both younger and older generations are speaking about it."

Illustrating the benefits of GST, Naidu said they are trying to create a "common national market".

"We are moving away from the multiple taxes. GST is India's destiny" he added.

Image: Official Twitter handle of Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu.