Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Hajj Committee has demanded the withdrawal of 18 pc GST imposed on Hajj pilgrims. In a meeting held in Vijayawada, Hajj Committee passed a resolution demanding that the central government exempt Hajj aspirants from GST.
The meeting was presided over by Chairman Momin Ahmed Husain. 18 pc GST imposed on the Hajj pilgrims by the central government was vehemently opposed in the meeting. The committee alleged that though the Supreme Court has suggested that the subsidy be lifted in a phased manner by 2022, the Centre took a unilateral decision and cancelled Haj subsidy from 2018 itself. It felt that at a time when the government is supposed to provide financial assistance to Hajj pilgrims, it is imposing more burden on them in the form of GST. GST will put an additional burden of about Rs 10,000 on each Haj pilgrim.
Committee claimed that BJP government has done injustice towards the Muslims of Andhra Pradesh state by not facilitating embarkation point at the Vijayawada airport.
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