Mamata Banerjee to boycott GST launch event: TMC chief calls implementation 'Centre's blunder'

Calling the NDA government’s decision to implement GST from 1 July an “unnecessary disastrous hurry”, Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday made it official that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will not attend the 30 June session as a sign of protest.

“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 now worried with the way the central government is going ahead with the implementation,” she said.

In a Facebook post, Banerjee said, “Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement the GST have fallen on deaf ears.”

She expressed how the entire business community was affected by the government’s hasty move. “Only 60 hours are left before this ill-planned launch and no one knows for sure what’s happening!” she said.

The West Bengal chief minister slammed the BJP for changing it’s tone on GST after coming to power. “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 conveyed TMC’s thoughts that India wasn’t yet ready to experience GST. “It is shocking that the e-Waybill System is not yet designed and states are being asked to run their own systems as a stopgap arrangement,” she said.

Banerjee also claimed that the businesses and stakeholders needed at least six months to understand all rules and procedures to successfully implement the GST. “Otherwise a chaotic situation may arise in our vast economy for which the Government of India will be primarily responsible,” she added.