GST implementation is an epic blunder like note ban: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that the central government's GST implementation is an epic blunder like demonetisation. "Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement GST have fallen on deaf ears," Mamata said. "Only 60 hours are left before this ill-planned launch and no one knows for sure what's happening," she added.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that her party will boycott the special midnight session of Parliament on June 30 to launch the landmark Goods and Services Tax or GST in the country.Expressing her concerns about the GST implementation, Mamata said the Centre was unnecessarily hurrying to launch the key tax reform. Terming it an 'epic blunder' like demonetisation, the Trinamool Congress chief said that the decision could be 'disastrous'."Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement GST have fallen in 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," Mamata wrote in a Facebook post.ECONOMY NOT READY FOR GSTAlleging that the economy was not yet ready to face the GST test from the July 1, Mamata 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."West Bengal is one of the few Opposition ruled states which is yet to ratify the GST Bill in the Assembly. Mamata said though her party was not against the tax reform but was worried about its implementation. "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.There are almost 20 different taxes in the present tax regime and we felt that one single tax and integration of all markets across the country will provide big relief to all," she wrote.'BJP'S SOMERSAULT ON GST'Slamming the BJP for its double speak on the issue, Mamata said, "The current ruling party at the Centre had initially strongly opposed GST for over 7 years and suddenly did a somersault on coming to office as a champion of GST."According to the Bengal CM, at least six more months were required  to notify all rules and procedures and give enough time to the stakeholders, particularly the Small and Medium Enterprises to successfully implement the GST.Targeting the Centre for any an impending chaos in the economy, Mamata said states were being pressurized to make interim arrangements for GST roll-out. "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," Banerjee wrote.As a mark of protest against the Centre's move, the West Bengal CM announced that the Trinamool Congress will boycott the midnight programme at the Parliament House to launch GST.ALSO READ:Foreign media on GST: Ready or not, Indian businesses brace for biggest-ever tax reformGST: 100 FAQs received by Modi regime on Twitter