Rollback decision to impose GST on Golden Temple ‘serais’: CM

The CM said that since decades, these ‘serais’ have been providing comfortable stay to the ‘sangat’ (pilgrims) arriving at Sri Darbar Sahib on no-profit basis

Chandigarh : Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday demanded immediate rollback of the Centre’s decision to levy good and services tax (GST) on ‘serais’ (inns) in the vicinity of Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Rollback decision to impose GST on Golden Temple ‘serais’: CM

Calling the imposition of GST as “arbitrary”, Mann said the ‘sarais’, including Guru Gobind Singh NRI Niwas, Baba Deep Singh Niwas and Mata Bhag Kaur Niwas, are associated with the Golden Temple. These ‘serais’ are meant for the accommodation of devotees visiting the holy shrine and have always been an integral part of the gurdwara complex, he said.

The CM said that since decades, these ‘serais’ have been providing comfortable stay to the ‘sangat’ (pilgrims) arriving at Sri Darbar Sahib on no-profit basis. “The levying of GST on room charges of these three serais will lead to higher tariffs, thereby putting a huge burden on the pocket of pilgrims,” he added. The CM said the ‘serais’ at the Darbar Sahib complex are non-commercial entities.

Unjustified decision: Harsimrat

Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal also raised concern over imposition of 12% GST on accommodation charges in ‘serais’ run by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). In a message on the micro-blogging site Twitter, she said: “These serais cater to devotees from across the world & are non profit institutions. I request PM @NarendraModi not to tax devotion of pilgrims & revoke this totally unjustified decision” (SIC).