BJP is anti-poor, pro-rich: Harsh Dev

Accusing the BJP of having miserably failed to control fuel price rise and inflation besides imposing weird taxes one after the other, scores of Panther activists led by Mr. Harsh Dev Singh Chairman-JKNPP and Mr. Yash Paul Kundal General Secretary-JKNPP staged a thundering protest demonstration at Exhibition Ground in Jammu today. Infuriated over the sharp rise in prices of fuel, LPG, imposition of Property Tax and erection of Toll Plazas in Jammu, the protestors raised slogans of “Jab se BJP sarkaar ayee, Kamar todh mehangayi layee”, “Bahut ho gayee mehangayi ki maar, nahin chahiye Modi sarkaar”, “BJP ka ek hi sapna, Ram Ram japna, paraya maal apna”, “Hum do hamare do, Diesel nabbe, Petrol sou”.

Describing India’s Petrol and Diesel prices costliest in Southeast Asia, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said that at the time when GST had been introduced to rationalise indirect taxes in the country, it was indeed unjustifiable to keep petro-products outside the ambit of new taxation regime. “With hefty excise duty on fuel already levied, the addition of new agri cess on it has broken all records of fuel hike taking petrol to Rs.100/- per litre. And with the petrol and diesel becoming dearer, the price of domestic LPG cylinder had also soared to Rs. 820 per cylinder. The soaring prices of fuel and gas have added to the woes of the common masses”, Harsh rued. Asserting that soaring price of fuel has led to steep rise in transportation fares, Mr. Singh further pointed out that it had turned other essential commodities dearer. “The astounding rates of staple vegetables, groceries including dairies, cereals, pulses and edible oils have broken the spine of common man. He regretted that inflation had become a benchmark of BJP’s governance and looting people by burning holes in their pockets had always been its nasty motive.

In view of J&K Govt. issuing orders to levy property tax on lands and buildings of late, Mr. Singh divulged that the government was going to levy another obnoxious tax on the people to ramp up organized loot and plunder of public money. “Govt’s decision to impose Property Tax on the public will bring the curtains down for the Saffron party once and for all. You have been extorting money from the people amid Corona pandemic like a blood sucking parasite. Imposition of Toll Tax followed by Property Tax would further aggravate the brewing anger of the people to catastrophic rage. You will be blown to smithereens and defenestrated from the core constituency by the people”, Harsh said while taking a dig at BJP. He wondered that how could the govt impose Property Tax in a fragile environment of J&K where the economy has plunged to abysmally low. It’s imposition in such a situation where people are bearing the brunt of huge taxation in the form of Toll Plazas and increased cess and duties on petrol and diesel world prove counterproductive. The move will surely impede the economic revival as it would put extra burden on the public at large, rued Harsh.

Cautioning the govt of serious consequences arising from imposition of Property Tax, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh divulged that since all the major commercial activities in J&K like tourism, industries, real estate, agriculture, etc. had bore the brunt of insurgency, civil unrest and natural disasters in the past many years, the move to levy such tax would break the back of the people from all sects of society. “Moreover the COVID-19 outbreak has hit all lines of business severely. People are under enormous distress. Border dwellers are facing the wrath of skirmishes. Farmers have suffered huge loss of crops and cattle stock due to incessant rains and landslides. Unemployment has soared in almost every household. Where from people will pay the Property Tax? J&K needs stimulus packages and not the extortion of taxes”, said Harsh.

Mr. Yash Paul Kundal called upon LG of J&K to review the decision and cautioned MHA to revoke the obnoxious order otherwise it would only trigger public revulsion and force them to come on roads to agitate. “Panthers party shall vigorously oppose any move that is anti-people. We will expose the BJP govt for its duplicity, deceit and betrayals, asserted Kundal. He also asked the GoI to immediately come with the measures to control inflation of petro and agri-products to provide relief to the common man against the spiralling prices of essential commodities.