Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister, Food Processing Industries has taken a U-turn and has justified levy of GST on gurdwara’s langar purchases. Earlier, the minister had opposed the move stating that levy of GST on langar purchases is not acceptable.
In her recent media outing, Badal was looking unstable when questions were asked on her stand on SGPC’s impending protest against Union Government with regard to GST on langar. Taking a jibe at the media, she commented, “How can I be part of the protest being a central minister, though I support the SGPC’s cause. I was the first person to raise voice against taxing ’langar’ and had also sent letters to Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley in this regard. Technically, post July 1, GST was implemented, it is now the sole prerogative of the GST Council to decide. The state finance minister, who is the member of the council, should share the liability to get the things done.”
She gave the following statement while interacting with progressive farmers and industrialists of Amritsar on Centre’s scheme ’Sampada’ (Scheme for Agro-Marine Produce Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Cluster), facilitated by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), countrywide partner with the Food Processing Ministry.