GST launch event insults 1947 midnight session: Congress
Congress leader Anand Sharma on Friday said that the Parliament's midnight session for the GST launch was an insult to the 1947 midnight session where former PM Jawaharlal Nehru announced the country's independence. "We cannot compare a tax launch with the country's independence...There have been more important milestones in past but no midnight session was called for them," he added. 
Defending its decision to skip Parliament's special midnight session tonight ahead of the launch of the landmark Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Congress today called it an insult to 1947 and called it an "ideological" boycott."The midnight launch of the GST is an insult to 1947," senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told Rajdeep Sardesai at India Today's Midnight Conclave being held at New Delhi's Hotel Taj Mansingh.On the night of August 14, Jawaharlal Nehru had made his famous 'tryst with destiny' speech in the Central Hall of Parliament, which effectively announced the independence of India from the British.It was for this reason, Sharma said, that the NDA government's decision to announce a tax reform through a special midnight session of Parliament is a "publicity stunt". "A government works not by event management, but by its work," he said.Sharma claimed the GST was brought up by the Congress when it was in power and the BJP always opposed it. "Modi as CM always opposed GST," he said.When asked whether the Congress boycott of the Parliament session is to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sharma said he is only an individual. "Our boycott is not targeted against an individual," he said.When Sardesai reminded Sharma that the government had invited former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to share the dais with Modi, Sharma said an "invitation to Dr Singh was not a favour".Also Read:Complete GST Midnight Conclave coverageThere are glitches in GST, will fix them: Venkaiah at Tryst With Tax ConclaveGST: Retailers, stressed about 37 returns? Revenue Secy Adhia has some news for you