AMRITSAR SAHIB, Punjab—The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhik Committee has blamed Cabinet Minister Arun Jaitley for contorting a lie on imposition of GST on langar. Notably, the SGPC told Sikh24 in a press statement that Arun Jaitely’s statement was far away from the reality and he was trying to astray the public in this concern.
It is important to mention that over 100,000 Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike partake in langar at Sri Darbar Sahib in Amritsar, however, GST has been imposed on all food supplies for Darbar Sahib and other Gurdwaras across India.
In the statement shared with Sikh24 earlier today, SGPC President Gobind Singh Longowal raised question mark over an “irresponsible statement” by the Union Finance Minister. He has said that why the Union Finance Minister was forgetting that the SGPC approached him numerous times seeking GST exemption on langar but he didn’t accept their request.
Longowal has further said that if Arun Jaitley’s statement was true about GST exemption on langar then why doesn’t he present the notification issued in this concern to back his statement.
Longowal has clarified the SGPC was paying GST from July-2017 onwards for purchasing ration used for cooking langar in sacred Sikh shrines. He added that what could be worse than it that the Sikh shrines, where free food is served to people, is being charged tax by the Indian government.
Only place in this world where charity is Taxed.