BJP leaders to travel across country from July 2-7 to explain GST

They'll reach out to business communities, traders groups and industry chambers

Worried that confusion might hit the roll-out of the goods and services tax (GST), members of the Union council of ministers would travel across the country from July 2 to 7.

The new indirect tax regime would be rolled out from July 1. The ministers would meet stakeholders — especially industry chambers and traders’ groups — to clear doubts. 

The three-week period starting International Yoga Day (June 21) is likely to be a stressful one for ministers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to be in Lucknow to mark the day. Other ministers have been asked to visit state capitals or their constituencies to perform yoga.

On June 25, ministers and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders will mark  “Anti-Emergency Day”. On June 26, 1975, the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government had imposed an Emergency. This year, Anti-Emergency Day will be marked a day in advance, since Eid is on June 26 or 27.

In recent times, Opposition has attacked the Modi government of having imposed an “undeclared Emergency” in the country. Sources said this initiative would allow the BJP to point to how several parties were aligning with the Congress. Politics apart, the real concern of the government remains the GST roll-out. Its leadership wants MPs and ministers to reach out to the business community to allay fears.

The government and the BJP are preparing “talking points” for ministers and party leaders on GST. Ministers are likely to attend sessions by experts before they head out to meet the stakeholders.