‘Gangajal is exempt under GST’: CBIC refutes Congress’s ‘18% tax’ charge

Clarification regarding certain media reports on applicability of GST on Gangajal. pic.twitter.com/t598ahN07x

— CBIC (@cbic_india) October 12, 2023

“Gangajal is used in pooja by households across the country and puja samagri is exempt under GST… All these items have been exempt since the introduction of GST,” the CBIC said in a post on X.

“GST on puja samagri as discussed in detail in the 14th and 15th meetings of the GST Council held on 18/19 May 2017 and 3rd Jun 2017 respectively and decided to keep them in the exempt list. Therefore, all these items have been exempt since the introduction of GST,” the department clarified.

This came after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in a post addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X, said that the Uttarakhand government has imposed 18 per cent GST on the Ganga water.

In Hindi, Kharge wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Modi ji, The importance of Mother Ganga, the provider of salvation for a common Indian, from birth till the end of his life is very high. It is good that you are in Uttarakhand today, but your government has imposed 18% GST on the holy Ganga water itself.”

मोदी जी,

एक आम भारतीय के जन्म से लेकर उसकी जीवन के अंत तक मोक्षदायिनी माँ गंगा का महत्त्व बहुत ज़्यादा है।

अच्छी बात है की आप आज उत्तराखंड में हैं, पर आपकी सरकार ने तो पवित्र गंगाजल पर ही 18% GST लगा दिया है।

एक बार भी नहीं सोचा कि जो लोग अपने घरों में गंगाजल मँगवाते हैं,… pic.twitter.com/Xqd5mktBZG

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) October 12, 2023

He continued, “Not even once did I think what would be the burden on those who order Ganga water in their homes. This is the height of loot and hypocrisy of your government.”