Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 22: Several political parties here on Wednesday demanded withdrawal of a notice that mandated imposition of property tax in the municipal limits from April 1st, this year.
Describing the move as “arbitrary and unjust”, the Pradesh Congress Committee said that imposition of property tax has caused frustration and anger among the people, as they are already facing economic and political distress due to various factors including security situation and the lack of an elected Government.
In a joint statement, the Party leaders Vikar Rasool Wani, Raman Bhalla, Tara Chand, Mula Ram among others accused the bureaucratic regime under the command of the Central Government of “harassing the common people” with “anti-people” orders.
The party leaders demanded the withdrawal of the order and holding of Assembly elections at the earliest to restore democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Calling the property tax as “Jazia”, senior Congress leader Gurmeet Singh also criticized the LG administration.
He said that people in Jammu and Kashmir are already struggling financially and the new tax will only add to their burden. He further said that the BJP Government has looted businesses in the State.
“In case this tax is not withdrawn, we will launch a hunger strike to protest against the imposition of ‘Jazia’ on the people,” he warned.
Former Minister and senior National Conference leader Ajay Kumar Sadhotra strongly opposed the imposition of property tax in Jammu and Kashmir.
He argued that the decision shows the present dispensation’s disconnection with the people who are already burdened by inflation, power tariff, water supply, and public transport fare hikes.
Sadhotra attributed the Government’s decisions to the lack of vision of the “double-engine Governments” and the absence of a people’s Government.
He accused the BJP of taking pleasure in people’s suffering, referring to the recent recruitment process scams, compromise with lands and jobs of bonafide residents and divesting the poor from their small holdings.
Sadhotra demanded immediate rollback of the order on imposition of property tax from poor people.
National Conference State Spokesperson, Imran Nabi Dar stated that the notification regarding the property tax smacks of arbitrariness and will further push the people of Jammu and Kashmir to the wall.
He questioned the haste in which such decisions are taken in the absence of a democratically elected Government, and demanded that such matters be left to an elected Government.
He also called the decision “anti-people” and a “grave injustice”, and demanded its immediate rollback.
Rattan Lal Gupta, the Provincial President of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference also condemned the imposition of property tax by the Government, calling it “Jazia” on the common people.
He demanded the immediate withdrawal of the notification issued by the J&K Administration “as imposition of this tax is unjustified, arbitrary, and against the norms of the democracy”.
He said that the BJP is running a proxy Government in Jammu and Kashmir and imposing anti-people policies on the residents.
He warned that if the Government does not withdraw the property tax order, National Conference workers and activists would come on the roads to support the affected people.
Former Minister and Zonal President of National Conference, Babu Rampaul also castigated the UT administration for allegedly making the lives of people miserable with its hosts of “anti-people” policies and decisions. He was referring to an order issued by the J&K Government that has mandated for people owning more than 1000 square feet area to pay property tax from April 1st this year.
He also appealed the youth of J&K to come forward and launch a movement for “Parivartan” and early elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) has also expressed its discontent over the imposition of property tax in Jammu and Kashmir and demanded its immediate rollback.
In a statement, party leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said, “the process of collecting tax is the sole prerogative of the elected institutions. Levying tax in absence of an elected Government is quite unconstitutional”.
“It is surprising that even the elected municipal bodies were not consulted before announcing the tax,” he said.
He demanded immediate rollback of the property tax notification.
In a party meeting organized here at Gandhi Nagar Jammu, Ghulam Hassan Mir, the Senior Vice-President of Apni Party said that the decision regarding imposition of property tax should be left to an elected Government.
“The recent decision has received criticism from the people of Jammu as well as Kashmir regions and hence this decision should be reviewed before it is forced on the people in haste,” he said.
The meeting also demanded restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest.
A statement from DCP Balkar Singh, MLA Aam Aadmi Party, Kartarpur Constituency, Punjab and Prabhari, AAP Jammu Province strongly condemns the imposition of property tax on the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Singh has cautioned the people of Jammu against trusting the Bharatiya Janata Party and its leaders on promises of welfare to the people of this region, asserting that it only believes in “Jumlas”.
Senior AAP leader Taranjit Singh Tony also criticized the BJP and the PM for not delivering the “Ache Din” promised to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Tony expressed immense anguish, saying that there is no one to listen to the people’s woes in the local leadership of BJP. Tony also accused the BJP of committing a serious crime of giving false assurances to the people on pressing issues like the eviction drive and property tax.
Party (AAP) leader Amit Kapoor also opposed the notification issued by the Government regarding the imposition of the property tax, calling it “anti-people”. He also demanded immediate withdrawal of the notification issued in this regard.
Sunil Dimple, the President of Mission Statehood Jammu and Kashmir, led a protest rally against the imposition of property tax on traders and people of Jammu and Kashmir. He also burnt effigies of the BJP Government and appealed people to unite against the BJP to save their coming generations from “further exploitation”.
Sandeep Singh, President National Awami United Party (NAUP) appealed all the like-minded people to united under one platform to thwart the “misadventure of the LG Administration”.
Referring to the imposition of the property tax in J&K, he warned the administration to stop underestimating the common people in Jammu and Kashmir claiming, “in case the notification regarding imposition of tax is not taken back, Government will have to face strong protests in Jammu region”.
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