Raghav Chadha meets FM Sitharaman, demands GST rollback on Sarais around Golden Temple

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha member and Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha on Thursday met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to demand a rollback of what he termed as GST imposed on hotel accommodation, which also includes Sarais meant for devotes of the Holy Shri Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar.

At the latest GST Council meeting held in Chandigarh in late July, recommendations were made to impose 12 percent GST on "hotel accommodations" priced up to Rs 1,000. Reports claimed that 12 percent GST on the accommodation was imposed in three Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee-run "Sarais" -- Baba Deep Singh Yatri Niwas, Mata Bhag Kaur Niwas and Sri Guru Gobind Singh NRI Niwas -- all located outside the shrine's premises.

"I will be meeting the Hon'ble Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ji today to demand rollback of 12 percent GST imposition on Sarais meant for devotes of the Holy Shri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar. We Will discuss several other issues pertaining to Punjab as well," Chadha tweeted moments before meeting the Union minister Sitharaman.

On Wednesday, Chadha gave a suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss the imposition of GST on such Sarais.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the foremost organization of Sikhs, too demanded a rollback in GST on such accommodations.

"Sarais (inns) by SGPC are for convenience of pilgrims arriving at Gurdwaras are not commercial; any kind of tax on them is government's injustice. This decision putting additional burden on the Sangat (pilgrims) should be immediately withdrawn," the SGPC tweeted on August 2. (ANI)