Row over ‘GST’ on artistes from their income

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Political offshoots of the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) have already started making inroads into the volatile political situation in the State, and the latest such offshoot being the alleged issuance of a notification for making 18 per cent GST cut from Bihu function organizers and performing artistes from their income. The BJP Assam Pradesh and the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee have been engaged in a direct showdown on the alleged notification on GST cut from local artistes. While the BJP maintains that no such notification has been issued, Congress terms the 'notification' a political vendetta of the State government against artistes.

Addressing a press conference at party office at Hengrabari here on Saturday, State BJP spokesperson Jayanta Malla Baruah said, “No notification has been issued charging GST from Bihu performance or local artistes. It’s the Government of India which specifies all GST rates. The existing rule is that if an artiste performs folk or classical art form of music, dance or theatre and charges not more than Rs 1.50 lakh, he/she doesn’t have to pay any tax. The liability of tax is only for functions that sell tickets. Local Bihu functions are entry-free, and hence the question of tax doesn’t arise. What is doing the rounds on GST cut on Bihu organizers and performers is nothing but a false campaign.”

The APCC spokesperson Apurba Kumar Bhattcharya, on the contrary, said, “GST cut from artistes performing in Bihu functions as notified by the State government is unprecedented in post-Independence. The State government is pursuing a vendetta against the artistes of the State for the latter being vocal against the CAA. How come a government that extends funds for Filmfare functions needs GST from local Bihu artistes?” On the notification for bringing the CAA into effect on Friday, Bhattacharya said, “We condemn the notification that came amidst the stiff opposition against the Act by the people of Assam in strong words. Even as the government has implemented the Act, we’ll ignore it. The people of Assam will continue their protest against the contentious Act. The people have already moved the Supreme Court of India against the Act.”

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