Speaking at an event on Saturday, comedian Ali opined that actors should be exempted from paying GST.

"In some advanced countries, taxes are levied on all. But there, the senior citizens are provided social security by the government. But that's hardly the case in our country," he began saying.

Ali was apparently issued a notice by GST officials to pay service tax, as all actors are obliged to in India. "I was abroad when I received the notice. When I came back to India, a tax official called me up and told me that I should pay the service tax immediately. He told me that I will face an arrest if I fail to pay. We are not terrorists. We are not mafia dons. We are artists. We survive only as long as the light shines on us. Otherwise, we will slide into oblivion. It seems Southern and Northern states have to fight against these tax burdens," Ali said.

The actor feels that artists should be made to pay only Income Tax!