Harsimrat charge on GST false: CM

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 22

Dubbing Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal as a “compulsive liar”, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday came down heavily on her for giving a “false statement” on a sensitive issue like langar of the Golden Temple.

Reacting strongly to Harsimrat’s allegations that the state government had reneged on its commitment of paying its share of goods and services tax (GST) to the SGPC, the Chief Minister trashed the same as yet another bunch of lies, aimed at misleading the people.

The Chief Minister said the Union Minister’s statement had not an iota of truth. The fact, he pointed out, was that the state government had not only notified 100 per cent GST refund for state’s share in respect of Darbar Sahib, Durgiana Mandir, Sri Valmik Sthal and Ram Tirath, but had also allocated Rs 4 crore to the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, in May for the same.

The Chief Minister reiterated his Government’s commitment to refund the state’s share of the GST not just for the current year, but with effect from August 1, 2017, for all the three holy shrines.

‘Rs 4 cr allocated for refund to 3 shrines’

Captain Amarinder Singh said the state government had not only notified 100 per cent GST refund for state’s share in respect of Darbar Sahib, Durgiana Mandir, Sri Valmik Sthal and Ram Tirath, but had also allocated Rs 4 crore to the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, in May for the same.