Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government’s decision to impose property tax from April has evoked strong resentment from political parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The parties said that the decision has triggered a fresh round of anguish and anxiety among people.
“No Taxation Without Representation”. Why should people in J&K pay state taxes including the proposed property tax when we have no say in how our government is run & no say in the decision making of J&K. We are expected to be mute spectators to all unjust decisions by Raj Bhavan,” National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah tweeted.
The NC has sought immediate rollback of property tax notification.
BJP spokesman Altaf Tahkur said 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. A delegation of the party led by its party president Ravindra Raina sahib will meet the Lt Governor and appeal to him to review the decision,” Thakur told reporters in Srinagar.
Thakur said 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.
“This is not the appropriate time to impose the property tax on the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The people should be given relaxation,” he said.
The Congress termed the property tax as “BJP’s Amrit Kaal.”
“…the levying of property tax on our people who are unable to run their homes due to the high rate of inflation, unemployment rate and zero business activity is the BJP-led Centre’s Amrit Kaal and LG administration’s Naya Jammu Kashmir,” J&K Congress president Vikar Rasool tweeted.
Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone said it is not the time to tax.
“Property tax in the aftermath of years lost in Covid seems determination to turn every stone that can be turned to ensure economic euthanasia. Governments have pumped billions worldwide to bump start ailing economies. In wonderment,” Lone tweeted.
“Government has come up with a detailed clarification on property tax. I still say No. Not the time to tax. BUT to whoever came up with this rare idea of explaining the concept with humility. From an admin which is otherwise disdainfully arrogant and unambiguously detestable,” he added.
Senior CPI( M) leader Mohamamd Yousuf Tarigami termed the levying of property tax as “arbitrary and undemocratic”.
“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,” Taragami said.
CPI(M) demanded the immediate withdrawal of the notification.
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday decided to levy property tax on people living within the jurisdiction of urban local bodies across J&K with effect from April 1. The property tax will be 5 percent of Taxable Annual Value (TAV) in a residential property and 6 percent in the case of non-residential property.
UNI
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