New Delhi, Jun 29 (UNI) The Congress today announced that it would boycott the Goods and Service Tax (GST) launch function at midnight on Friday in Parliament House, dubbing it as a 'publicity stunt.' Top Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Jairam Ramesh, all senior parliamentarians, said the midnight function had been convened in the Central Hall of Parliament to celebrate India's freedom. They said that such a function had been convened on two other occasions in the past which were also associated with India's independence -- to mark the silver jubilee of the country's independence in 1972 and Golden jubilee celebration in 1997. 'It is triviliasation of freedom at midnight moment. Such a sacred moment cannot be trivialised,' the Congress leaders said at a press conference at party headquarters here. They said that convening such a function by the NDA government to mark the rollout of GST under present circumstances was uncalled for, particularly as the country was grappling with farmers' suicides, incidents of mob lynching and a climate of intolerance. 'That is the reason why the party has decided to boycott the midnight function on Friday. We cannot be party to a publicity stunt for a mere tax policy,' the Congress leaders said. They said the Congress had ushered in a number of historic reforms but never celebrated them in this manner. UNI NAZ-VT RSA SHK 1800