New Delhi: To the sound of a gong at midnight, July 1 (10.30pm in Dubai), Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressed a button in parliament's Central Hall to launch the Goods and Services Tax (GST), India's biggest tax reform ever.
"GST is Good and Simple Tax," PM Modi said shortly before the launch, stressing it is not the achievement of any one party or government.
The launch of GST was made at the historic Central Hall, which has been witness to the midnight of August 14, 1947, when the country embraced Independence.
The Congress Party boycotted the event objecting to a midnight session at the Central Hall being used to launch a reform; such sessions have previously celebrated Independence.
'Limitless possibilities'
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that with GST's launch, India will awaken to limitless possibilities to expand its economic horizons and it will create a one tax, one nation and one market.
"We have assembled today (Friday) for an important journey of the nation. We are in the process of making history with the launch of the GST," Jaitley said, speaking in Parliament during the special function of GST launch.
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President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President M. Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with several cabinet ministers and MPs were present in Parliament.
"At the midnight hour we will be launching one of India's strongest and most ambitious tax and economic reforms in history," he said.
"For India it will begin altogether a new journey. It's a journey where India will awake to limitless possibilities to expand its economic horizons, and loftier political positions," Jaitley said.
"The new India will create one tax, one nation and one market," the Finance Minister said.
He also emphasised that GST is an important achievement for the whole country.
Jaitley said the GST roll-out shows that "India can rise above narrow politics", referring to several parties coming on board to support the pan-India tax regime.
Jaitley chaired a meeting of the powerful GST Council just hours before the launch. He said the consensus among parties that has brought GST to launch is a high point in Indian politics at a time that the world is seeing slow growth and divisiveness.
"It shows India can collectively think and act with maturity for broader purpose," the minister said.
Boycott
Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh was invited too but his party the Congress' boycott means he is not attending.
The government has invited all the Members of Parliament, Chief Ministers and state finance ministers.
Opposition parties like the Congress, the Left, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, DMK and Lalu Yadav's RJD are boycotting the event. The Aam Aadmi Party didn't attending either.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) has backed GST and though he and other senior leaders of his party are not attending, his party lawmakers have not been asked to stay away.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said earlier Friday: "Congress is a confused party; where their Chief Ministers and finance ministers are supporting the GST and at the same time party leaders are criticising it."
"A reform that holds great potential is being rushed through in a half-baked way with a self-promotional spectacle," Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
A reform that holds great potential is being rushed through in a half-baked way with a self-promotional spectacle #GSTTamasha
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 30, 2017
Unlike demonetisation, GST is a reform that @INCIndia has championed & backed from the beginning— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 30, 2017
