Swamy to attend midnight GST rollout, says PM Modi met his 'grievances'

New Delhi [India], June 30 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Friday said he would be attending the midnight celebration of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) roll out in the Central Hall of Parliament as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met his "grievances". Talking to ANI, Swamy said the Prime Minister has implemented two of his suggestions that CAG should audit the decision of the GSTN and other that the Home Ministry must carry out a security clearance. "I am attending it. Because the Prime Minister has implemented two of my suggestions - one is CAG should audit the decision of the GSTN and other is that the Home Ministry must carry out a security clearance. So, I have many disputes on the questions of whether Ayurveda should have higher tax than allopathic medicines from America. And why the temple products should be taxed now..even now the products of the Muslim religious institution and Christian religion institutions are not taxed at all even in GST then why Hindu religious institutions should be taxed?" he said. "So, the small and medium industries are going to suffer very badly, because you have lowered the limit of taxability from one and half crore capital to 10 lakh. So, there are many other issues, but that will work out. But the constitutional aspects, the Prime Minister have met my grievances and therefore I will be attending it," he added. Meanwhile, the Congress has announced to boycott the midnight GST rollout and branded this as 'publicity stunt' or 'tamasha' (drama) of the Narendra Modi-led Government. Earlier, the Congress had objected to Prime Minister Modi launching GST at the special midnight function pointing out that since President Pranab Mukherjee will be present, it would undermine his status. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also dubbed the hurried rollout of the GST as an "epic blunder" by the Centre. 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)