TMC will not join the GST celebration at the parliamentary house on June 30 midnight: Mamata Banerjee

On a Facebook post, she said: "Our Parliamentary Party has decided not to attend the 30th June, 2017 midnight programme at the Parliament House to celebrate GST, as a mark of protest."

The central government has decided to organise a celebration at the parliamentary house for the GST roll out.

Banerjee also expressed her party's concern over the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

She said: "We are deeply concerned about GST implementation. After #demonetisation, this unnecessary disastrous hurry is another epic blunder of the Centre."

However, Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress earlier supported the GST.

Regarding her party's stand in GST, the TMC chief said: "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."

"Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement GST have fallen on deaf ears. The entire business community, especially the small and medium ones, are scared and confused. Only 60 hours are left before this ill planned launch and no one knows for sure what's happening!" she added.

West Bengal CM was in the forefront against the central government in the post-demonetisation phase. She repeatedly attacked the Modi government for the note ban policy announced on November 8 and said it had crippled the economy.

Eventually, the country's GDP growth has slowed down in the last quarter of the fiscal year 2016-2017, prompting Banerjee to hold the central government responsible for it.

On a Facebook post a few weeks ago, she said her apprehension proved to be true regarding the severe loss in jobs and decline in productivity. "Right at the time demonetisation was announced by the Central Government, I had voiced my concern that the country would have to face severe loss of jobs and drastic decline in productivity due to demonetisation" the TMC supremo said.

Voicing the concerns of small and medium scale businessmen, the WB CM said: "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 6 months as all systems are not in place."

"We feel, at least 6 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 added.

Earlier, West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra, opposed the tax structure of certain goods like wigs, shoes and vernacular films. However, the disputes were later resolved.

Banerjee said the central government will be solely responsible if any chaotic situation arises, after the roll out of GST next month.

Image: Official Facebook post of AITC.