Draconian step of Govt will undoubtedly crush all sections of society in J&K: Namrta
Terms levying of property tax as arbitrary & undemocratic
JAMMU: Women Wing of Aam Aadmi Party, J&K today castigated the decision of J&K Government for imposing Property Tax on the people of the Union Territory, terming the levying of property tax as “arbitrary and undemocratic”.
Addressing media persons at Press Club Jammu, Namrta Sharma, President Women Wing, AAP, J&K said that the decision of imposing property tax has been taken in a hurry. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are not so well off economically yet and to put the burden of property tax on them would be an extra burden for them.
Namrta Sharma stated that instead of providing some relief to the people in J&K, the proxy Government of BJP led Government at the Centre had earlier imposed GST on essential commodities, installed toll plazas, boosted liquor and mining mafia, and now it has hit them below the belt by imposing ‘Property Tax’ in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that this draconian step of the Govt is undoubtedly going to crush the middle class people who are yet to come out of the adverse economic impact of the Covid pandemic.
The senior AAP leader asserted that the process of collecting tax and deciding the values of the tax is the sole prerogative of the elected institutions — the legislature to frame laws and the municipal councils/corporations to decide the forms and different values according to their objective realities. “Levying property tax in absence of an elected government is quite unconstitutional. Even the elected municipal bodies were not consulted,” she added.
Namrta asserted that despite the assurance given by the Lt Governor himself, the property tax is ready to be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir from 1st April, 2023. She stated that why the government at the Centre is not showing its concern towards the serious issues being faced by general public across the country.
“Unemployment is at its peak, the prices of essentials are sky rocketing and the farmers continue to be the worst sufferers due to the wrong policies of the Administration and amid such a grim situation the Govt has been resorting to demolition and eviction drives leaving the common and poor people shelterless,” she said, adding that the people of J&K have suffered during the past 32-years of militancy which have broken the back bone of the economy of Jammu and Kashmir. As if all this was not enough, and the Govt has now started overburdening the people with taxes, the latest one being the imposition of property tax. “This is not the appropriate time to impose the property tax on the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
The senior AAP leader warned the present government to immediately revoke its decision to impose property tax in Jammu and Kashmir failing which the Aam Aadmi Party will leave no option to come on roads.
