An Opposition leader said that a section of the Congress is thinking about skipping the event. However, a final decision is likely to be taken after consultations, the leader added.
The Congress and the Left are non-committal on attending a special event in Parliament on the midnight of June 30 to roll out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.
An Opposition leader said that a section of the Congress is thinking about skipping the event. However, a final decision is likely to be taken after consultations, the leader added.
The hour-long event will be held in the central hall of Parliament, and is expected to involve the participation of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Though the GST was envisaged during the UPA regime, the Congress has expressed reservations about the Bill brought by the BJP-led NDA regime. The Congress is caught in a bind because it cannot totally wash its hands of a policy it had initiated. Besides, the Congress's participation in the event will make it difficult for the party to take on the Modi government on implementation of GST, which is facing protests from certain sectors over rates.
"Very soon, the Congress will issue a statement on our stand on the GST special session. We will be consulting people. The fact that people are facing so much of problems because of GST cannot be ignored," the Congress's Randeep Surjewala said.
The event, reminiscent of India's tryst with destiny on the midnight of August 15, 1947, is to be attended by President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari.
The Left parties are also mulling over whether to attend the event or not.
"Why this unseemly hurry with GST before putting systems in place? After all, BJP opposed it for several years, especially then chief minister, Gujarat (sic)," CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted.
"It is not a session. It is a special midnight meeting. The letter was sent to the MPs by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister. It is left to the members to decide on whether they want to attend or not," said CPI leader and Rajya Sabha member D Raja.
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