Gangajaal takes Centre Stage in Chhattisgarh Politics ahead of Polls

Raipur: “Gangajaal” has taken the centre stage of Chhattisgarh politics ahead of the November assembly polls with ruling Congress and Opposition BJP trading charges of defiling the sanctity of the water of Ganga, revered by Hindus, against each other.

Days after chief minister Bhupesh Baghel slammed the Centre for imposing 18 percent GST (Goods and Sales Tax) on ‘Gangajaal’ (water of Ganga) sold in the post offices across the country, calling it ‘attack on Sanatan Dharma’, Chhattisgarh unit BJP president on Saturday described the former’s claim as ‘white lie’.

“Mr Bhaghel has once again defiled the sanctity of Ganga water by levelling false charges against Centre (on imposition of 18 percent GST on ‘Gangajaal’). The Congress has already committed the sin of not fulfilling the promise of waiving crop loans of farmers made in the name of ‘Gangajaal’”, Mr Sao said.

The BJP leader said that Congress had made the promise to write off the crop loan of farmers within ten days of coming to power in Chhattisgarh, in 2018.

The Congressmen had carried ‘Gangajaal’ with them while pledging to fulfil the promise to waive the crop loan of the farmers in the run up to the 2018 assembly polls in the state, he said.

Mr Sao said that the Bhupesh Baghel government has failed to fulfil the promise in disrespect to the revered water of Ganga.

Mr Baghel has once again disrespected the water of Ganga by making a false claim that the Centre has imposed 18 percent GST on the ‘Gangajaal’, Mr Sao said.

Ruling Congress has however rebutted the charges.

Congress spokesman Surendra Verma on Saturday claimed the post offices have been collecting 18 percent GST on sale of ‘Gangajaal’ since October three this year.

Mr Baghel raised the issue on October ten demanding the centre to roll back the decision calling it ‘anti-Sanatan Dharma’, Mr Verma said.

The Congress leader said that the Central Board of Indirect Tax and Customs (CBIC) in a clarification posted in X on October 12 said that “Gangajaal is used in pooja by households across the country and puja samagri was exempt under GST”.

He however questioned why 18 percent GST was collected on sale of ‘Gangajaal’ in the post offices.

Former Union minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday said that the Centre has not imposed any GST on sale of ‘Gangajaal’.