CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai on Monday condemned the Union government for imposing Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the income of temples managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department.
In a statement, Selvaperunthagai said the decision has come as a shock to many, as temples, which were previously exempted from GST due to their religious and service-oriented nature, are now required to pay an 18% tax on their income.
He pointed out over a thousand high-revenue temples under the HR&CE department are now being asked to pay GST, including arrears and penalties, amounting to several crores of rupees.
However, recent amendments to GST regulations have brought temple revenue streams - such as prasadam sales, darshan fees, and accommodation charges - under the tax ambit.
Despite temple administrations asserting that these are service-oriented activities, the Union government has refused to accept this argument and is now enforcing mandatory GST payments.