18% GST on Garba! One and a half lakh players from Vadodara-Rajkot alone will have to pay 2 crore GST to play Garba, protest across the state
- 81 lakhs for boys and 45 lakhs for girls due to tax on Garba
- AAP wrote a letter to the Chief Minister demanding removal of GST
- Vadodara city Congress marched in protest
From the year 2022, the state government will apply GST on garba passes, in addition to 1 lakh only in Vadodara, players will have to pay more than one and a half crore rupees as GST to play garba. While in addition to Rajkot 50 thousand, the players also have to pay GST of more than 1 crore. This decision of the government has started to be opposed across the state.
The Vadodara city Congress staged a protest at the collector's office by playing garba and demanded the withdrawal of this tax.
Abolish such GST as an insult to faith: Aam Aadmi Party
While the Aam Aadmi Party has written a letter to the Chief Minister demanding that such GST should be removed as it insults faith. State President Gopal Italia said that Garba is a tradition of Gujarat, culture of Gujarat and the faith of crores of people is connected with Garba. Gujarat celebrates Garba as an occasion to seek the pleasure of Mataji. But the low-class minded BJP government has imposed a GST tax of 18 percent even on Garba playing.
The Surat organizers have replaced the season pass with a daily pass, stating that their daily passes will be priced below Rs 499 and will not attract GST. The government has implemented 18 percent GST on garba passes in addition to 4 major garba organizers including United Way of Vadodara implementing GST. Which will directly affect the pocket of the players. Apart from this, if the spectators who come to watch the garba take a daily pass to watch the garba, then they will not have to pay GST. However, there is still confusion among planners regarding GST on Garbana Pass.
There is a dilemma as to how much GST has to be paid in addition to income or how much GST has to be paid on Rs. For the last 22 years, the entry has been kept free for the girls-sisters of the city. Jai Thakkar of Ma Shakti Garba said that for the last 22 years Ma Shakti has kept the entry free for the girls and sisters of the city. Mataji's garba is the worship of Shakti, Ambe is worshiped so there is no rupee in it, a city that is world-renowned for its culture. Efforts are being made to maintain that culture.
Chaniya choli will attract GST of 5 percent to 12 percent
A GST of 5 percent to 12 percent is levied on chania choli. In which 5 percent GST is levied on chaniacholi below Rs.1 thousand and 12 percent on chaniacholi above Rs.1 thousand. However, ever since the government implemented GST, GST is being levied on Chaniyacholi.
We do not sell passes, take donations but follow the rules
We do not sell passes, we take donations. But we follow the rules. The money earned by the players is donated to the United Way charity. No refunds are given. But following government's instructions we take digital payment with GST and also give receipt. - Meenesh Patel, Trustee, United Way
Courier charges will also be charged
The price of pass for women is Rs.200 and Rs.300. Courier charges will also be charged. However, it is not yet decided how much this charge will be. - Mayank Patel, Vadodara Navratri Festival
