Imposition of Property Tax in the troubled J&K UT highly unjustified: Harsh

*Jammu, 10-10-2020:* Pointing towards the amendments made in the J&K Municipal Corporation Act and J&K Municipal Act by the GOI whereby it has substituted several sections of the existing laws and authorized the urban local bodies to impose property tax on lands and buildings, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh JKNPP Chairman and former Minister has termed the move as highly unjustified and atrocious besides amounting to encroachment upon powers of local legislature. “There could be no Justification to effect such kind of amendment at the present juncture when the J&K UT was passing through most critical times and its people facing severe financial crisis. The J&K UT faced not only an increased risk of corona pandemic with number of infected cases growing day after day but the economic activity too had received a serious jolt. The traders, small shopkeepers, rehri and Phari wallas, the hoteliers, the dhaba and restaurant owners, the transporters and other self employed people had suffered huge losses during the past few months and were funding it difficult to sustain during the prevalent crisis”, said Singh.

“Moreover, there was no improvement in the drainage and sanitation system in various cities and towns with Jammu city in particular having been declared as tail ender once again in ‘Swachh Bharat Survekshan’ 2020 survey held by Union H&UD Ministry. The imposition of property tax in such circumstances which is being followed by huge taxation in the form of Toll Plazas and increased cess and duties on petrol and diesel world prove counterproductive. The BJP would be defenestrated if it failed to withdraw the obnoxious property tax which was likely to affect the very survival of a vast section of population inhabiting the urban areas of J&K”, asserted Harsh.

Cautioning the govt of serious consequences arising from imposition of Property Tax, Mr. Harsh Dev observed that since all the major commercial activities in J&K like tourism, industries, real estate, agriculture, etc had born the brunt of insurgency, civil unrest and natural disasters in the past many years, the move to levy such tax had evoked only cynicism besides sparking outrage amongst people in general. 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. He called upon Union Minister Amit Shah to review the decision and cautioned MHA that imposition of such obnoxious tax would only trigger public revulsion and force them to revolt against the authoritarian rule. Roll back the Property Tax without any delay. Panthers party shall vigorously oppose any move that is anti-people. We will be forced to lead a mass movement in case the dictatorial decision by the Central govt continued to be imposed on us, roared Harsh.