Centre rolled back decision to levy GST on 'Gangajal' after 'our pressure': Congress

New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) Congress on Tuesday claimed that it was due to its pressure that the BJP-led Central government "reversed the decision of levying 18 per cent GST on Gangajal".

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said: "The BJP, which claims to be a custodian of Hinduism, did not hesitate to levy GST on 'Gangajal', which is used in Hindu worship and even other rituals, but later withdrew it."

She was referring to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) clarification issued last week, making it clear that there was no GST applicable on Gangajal.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is an MP from Varanasi, Shrinate said: "The one who was supposedly called by the Mother Ganga (to contest elections) did not even spare the Mother Ganga."

"On coming to know about the imposition of GST on Gangajal, the Congress vehemently opposed it and ‍forced the Centre to withdraw the wrong decision," she said, adding: "Those who considered themselves 'thekedar' (custodian) of Hindu Dharma were imposing tax on Gangajal."

She showed a "CBIC letter" which did not include Gangajal as an item which is exempt from GST. The letter listed 10 such items, including rudraksha mala, yagnopavit, vibhuti, roli, chandan tika and wooden khadau (slipper), on which there was no tax.

She also claimed that the Department of Post of the Ministry of Communications had stated in a post on X in August that an 18 per cent GST would be levied on Gangajal and a bottle of 250 ml of Gangajal which earlier cost Rs 30 would be charged Rs 35 thereafter.

The Department of Post on October 12 issued an order withdrawing the earlier order and clarifying that no GST would be imposed on ‘Gangajal’, Shrinate claimed.