Jammu: J&K National Conference today staged a protest against the move of the J&K administration to impose property tax in the state.
In this connection, J&K National Conference activists under the chairmanship of Chander Mohan Sharma, District President Jammu Urban, assembled at Residency Road and raised slogans against the government. Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President Jammu, JKNC also joined the protest.
Talking to reporters, Rattan Lal Gupta strongly condemned the imposition of Property Tax on the people of Jammu and Kashmir who are already being crushed by the highest inflation and skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. He said that the incumbent J&K Administration which is running BJP’s proxy government in J&K has been thrusting only-anti people policies on the people.
He said that instead of giving some relief to the people in J&K where the unemployment rate is highest among the States and Union Territories across the nation, it has initiated yet another unwanted measure of charging tax on the common people’s properties thus overburdening the people with property tax now.
Rattan Lal termed the implementation of Property Tax in Jammu & Kashmir in absence of an elected Government as arbitrary and undemocratic. He anguished over the move of government in forcibly implement the property tax without consulting the elected 30,000 elected public representatives. He said the Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that the power has been transferred to 30000 people in J&K then why these people were ignored though they are having the mandate of the people and were elected democratically while imposing the property tax in J&K as it is against the norms of democracy. He demanded that let the elections take place first and then the J&K Assembly will decide whether or not to impose a property tax.
Babu Rampal, former minister, and Central Zone President expressed resentment against the misleading statement given by the Lt Governor that only 40 per cent have been affected by this property tax while the fact is that nearly 8o% population who are residing in urban areas will be directly affected with the imposition of property tax in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that today the people of Jammu and Kashmir are feeling betrayed by the abrogation of Art 370 as the situation has turned from bad to worse post-abrogation. He said every section of society stands adversely affected by the anti-people policies of the BJP Government.
Chander Mohan Sharma District President Jammu Urban said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given slogans of ‘One Nation One Tax’ then why the government is making the life of the common masses hell by introducing such types of taxes?
The protesting NC leaders and workers unanimously reiterated the demand to withdraw the order imposing property tax at the earliest failing which the Party workers will come on roads in support of the people affected by the J&K Administration’s order.
