March 29, 2024 06:28 (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
PM Modi has mastered art of manipulating democracy, hurting Constitution: Mallikarjun Kharge | Mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari dies of cardiac arrest at 63 | NIA arrests key conspirator in Bengaluru cafe blast case | Actor Govinda returns to politics after 14 years of 'vanvas', joins Eknath Shinde camp | 'To browbeat and bully others is vintage Congress culture': PM posts after 600 lawyers write to CJI
Opposition must display broad shoulders: Arun Jaitley on GST celebration boycott

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

India Blooms News Service | | 30 Jun 2017, 02:55 pm
New Delhi, June 30 (IBNS): Reacting to the boycott of GST celebration by some of the key opposition parties, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said they must have broad shoulders.

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.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Related Images
PM Modi in Bhutan 22 Mar 2024, 06:53 pm
PM Modi in Tamil Nadu 28 Feb 2024, 07:07 pm