‘Reminds of tax during Mughal rule’: AAP’s Raghav Chadha demands rollback of GST on sarais

“The collected GST on sarais by the Central Government cannot be a more important motive than facilitating the spiritual journey of devotees who come to worship at the holy Golden Temple,” Raghav Chadha said.

Raghav Chadha said that he submitted a memorandum to Nirmala Sitharaman, demanding immediate roll back of the GST on ‘sarais’ and the latter has assured him that all demands would be considered seriously.

On behalf of the people of Punjab, I met the Hon'ble FM @nsitharaman ji today to convey two pressing issues. Firstly, the recent decision to impose 12 % GST on the serais that serve devotees to the Holy Golden Temple. This reminds one of Aurangzeb's jizya on pilgrims. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/Fx1l7vQAcw

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) August 4, 2022

In his memorandum to the finance minister, the AAP MP said that the Central Government’s recent decision to impose 12 percent GST on sarais has caused great anguish to the followers of the Sikh religion and to devotees who travel from across the country to visit the Sri Darbar Sahib, the holy Golden Temple.

“All Indians are aware of the peaceful and liberating message of Ik Onkar (one God) that has been spread far and wide through the majesty of the holy Golden Temple, which provides an open house of worship for all people. More than a lakh devotees per day visit the holy shrine from across the world,” the AAP leader said.

He added that the imposition of the GST on the inns amounts to an unnecessary financial burden on the Sangat (faithful) and should be immediately rolled back.

FINANCIAL PACKAGE FOR PUNJAB

Raghav Chadha also sought a special financial package and additional water resources for the welfare of the farmers of Punjab and also addressed the issue of the depleting water crisis. This is a matter which needs urgent attention if Punjab and its farmers are to be saved, he added.

Raising another crucial issue of a drastic fall in groundwater table in Punjab, the AAP leader demanded an immediate financial package and said that the union government should grant additional water resources to the state.

Chadha in his memorandum said Punjab is the state which made the country self-reliant in food production in the sixties and seventies when the whole country was suffering from an acute shortage of food grains. Punjab led the Green Revolution and took the initiative to grow paddy, which was not a part of our staple diet. The cultivation of paddy has resulted in an alarming fall in ground water that has now reached a dangerous level and needs urgent intervention.

Punjab and its farmers stood for the nation and made huge sacrifices in times of crisis. Today, it is the responsibility of the union government to grant aid in the form of a financial package to enable the state to deal with this crisis.