RJD too will skip 'midnight' GST rollout

Patna (Bihar) [India], June 29 (ANI): The Rashtiya Janata Dal (RJD) on Thursday announced to boycott special programme on Goods and Service Tax (GST) in Parliament's Central Hall on midnight of June 30. RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav said that the party has decided to boycott midnight GST rollout. The government's gala plan has received cold response from many Opposition parties. Earlier in the day, the Congress Party also announced to boycott the mid-night rollout of the GST and branded this as 'publicity' or 'tamasha' (drama) of the Narendra Modi government. Addressing a press conference here, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Congress party will boycott the GST celebration to be held on 30 June midnight for the rollout of GST in Parliament's Central Hall. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also dubbed the hurried rollout of the GST as an "epic blunder" by the Centre. Mamata had said her party would not attend the GST rollout programme. The GST, which is slated to be rolled out on the midnight of June 30, will bring the Indian economy under a single tax bracket. Six slabs of taxation have been proposed by the council, ranging from zero percent to 43 percent. Initially, it is being said that essential commodities and luxury goods will be taxed separately. The GST is said to be extremely beneficial to consumers, as it will bring down the price of goods and curb inflation. The GST is also said to reduce the delays in tax payments and ensure more stringent checks on the same. (ANI)