Goods and Services Tax GST will be launched from Central Hall of Parliament on June 30 midnight
President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive at Central Hall at 11 pm, on Friday June 30. The minute to minute programme has been drawn up by Finance Ministry Official Hashmukh Adhiya who is the Revenue Secretary in consultation with the Prime Minister Office.
Here’s a look: Welcome address by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Guest of Honour Pranab Mukherjee. Two films, 20 minutes each, will be screened. Former Prime Ministers HD Deve Gowda and Dr Manmohan Singh will also speak. Then, Sonia Gandhi, followed by five chief ministers, three from BJP, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu and Kerala CM Pinnarayi Vijayan will be asked to address the gathering.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak finally and the exact time of President Pranab Mukherjee’s speech is at 0000 hours on July 1, 2017, Saturday. It is similar to that of Jawahar Lal Nehru address to the nation from Central Hall on Independence Day.
BJP leaders, however, feel that GST is akin to economic freedom and that is why GST is being launched in such a massive gathering. The Central Hall is being spruced up. Huge TV screens are being put. Even the visitors’ gallery in the first floor of Central Hall is being decorated, since the PMO feels there shall be close to 1,500 persons attending the event. Security arrangements are being rehearsed, while the Indian Railways is being asked to cater for Hi-Tea for 1,500 participants - before the event.
At the stroke of midnight GST will be implemented. Pranab Mukherjee, has been wanting that the GST should be signed during his tenure. In fact, Pranab da has often told Prime Minister Modi this in private conversations, say few members of the political grapevine. It is also one major reason for the Prime Minister to go in for a mega event for the GST launch.
Even Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi Palanisami forgets his official signature
In a case that sounds so common place, even Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi Palanisami forgot what his correct official signature was and had to get it from the Election Commission website.
There was some late night drama when Palanisamy signed as proposer for the BJP presidential candidate. Why so? According to buzz BJP coordinators of Ramnath Kovind’s election campaign have specific instructions to be passed on to those who are proposing and seconding the nomination papers. Even if there were to be a slight change in the signature, the nomination would be rejected.
These instructions were given by the Returning Officer, through the Official Order. Each of the proposers and seconders were being cross checked at every point. BJP coordinators of Ramnath Kovind insisted that regional parties take seriously the instructions from the Election Commission. Hence, Palanisami delayed affixing his signatures, as it took half an hour to download his own affidavit filed during his election as MLA in Tamil Nadu. The affidavit was downloaded from the Election Commission website and finally the CM was able to sign the document.
Even CM of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu, and CM of Telangana Chandrasekhar Rao were specifically told by M Venkaiah Naidu that there should not be any difference in the official signatures.
Rahul Gandhi is returning to New Delhi on July 2 from his 20 days European tour
One must have noticed that on crucial issues like the President poll, Prime Minister’s US visit and the Kashmir problem, Rahul’s involvement and reactions were not available. It was Sonia Gandhi who coordinated between the 17 Opposition Parties meet to decide on the Presidential candidate.
Insiders in the CPM openly admit that it is easier for the Marxists to talk politics with Sonia Gandhi, reason being Rahul Gandhi suddenly digresses from the prepared agenda, for example, by talking about the Bhagwad Gita and Upanishads. This really irked some of the CPM members. Mulayam Singh Yadav also finds it easier to approach Sonia Gandhi.
This is just one of the political problems the Opposition party leaders face from Rahul Gandhi. But a part of the New Delhi grapevine has heard from the security agencies that despite Rahul Gandhi being the SPG protectee, he does not inform them about his foreign schedule. Unless there is an advance copy of his itinerary, the SPG finds it difficult to convey to security heads of the visiting countries, or to take Indian Missions abroad into confidence. SPG sources do confirm that from New Delhi he flew off to London. After that it is all guess work.
Does he travel by special airplane, or by commercial flights, or by train, metro or roadways, this is the security team’s headache to coordinate. However, if any untoward incidents occur, SPG will be taken to task as the team was created after an act of Parliament specially to protect the Prime Minister and former Prime Ministers and their families.
Another issue is that Rahul Gandhi takes along young turks like Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia and other young MPs as his confidants during such foreign tours. He selects the individual much in advance. Gossip is that Rahul Gandhi discusses future political moves with these young turks. It is not shared with any other party functionaries. “ Even RTI is not available in Congress” quipped a senior CWC member in jest, while talking to this correspondent.
