The Verdict: [False]
A 58-second video of a spokesperson of the Indian National Congress is being shared on various social media platforms with claims insinuating that the party is anti-Hindu. The viral clip shows Supriya Shrinate listing out items used in Hindu ceremonies on which Goods and Service Tax (GST) is not imposed. Posts sharing the video imply that the Congress leader is questioning why the items are not taxed. A user on Facebook shared the clip with the title, in Telugu, “Islamic Congress Party is questioning why there is no GST on Hindu religious paraphernalia.” Archived versions of such posts can be viewed here and here. The clip is being shared with similar captions on WhatsApp, too.
The clip shows Shrinate listing various items, such as rudarksh (religious prayer beads), vibhooti (ash powder), and Tulsi mala (a garland made from the wood of the basil plant), and complaining that no GST is imposed on these items.
However, the clip has been cropped out from a longer video. In the original video, she states that while these items are not taxed, the government has imposed the GST on Gangajal (water of the Ganges river considered holy by many Hindus), an item used during various Hindu religious ceremonies.
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