AAP holds protest against imposition of property tax

AAP leaders and activists during a protest in Jammu on Wednesday.— Excelsior/Rakesh
AAP leaders and activists during a protest in Jammu on Wednesday.— Excelsior/Rakesh

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 5: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today staged a protest demonstration against J&K Government’s decision of imposing property tax in the Union Territory.
Led by senior party leader Jayesh Gupta, activists of AAP today assembled near Maharaja Hari Singh Park in Jammu and staged demonstration. While holding placards in their hands, the Party activists raised slogans against the imposition of the property tax and demanded its roll-back.

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Speaking on the occasion, Gupta said that the Government was trying to economically weaken the people of J&K. “First, our political rights were taken away by abrogating Article 370, then poor people were harassed in the name of demolition and their houses bulldozed and now, property tax are being imposed,” he added.
He said the economic situation in J&K has become worse in the last five years. “The unemployment in Union Territory is at its peak and the Government instead of providing/creating jobs to the people, is imposing another tax on the poor people of Jammu,” the AAP leader lamented.
Gupta rejected the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha’s assertion that the rates of property tax are lowest in the country and the majority of the population had to pay below Rs 1,000 annually. “The same remarks were made when toll posts (on highways) were introduced and today, people are paying three to four times of the toll fixed originally. It will happen with the property tax as well,” he claimed.
He demanded the J&K Government to roll back the decision of imposing property tax as it will further destroy the people economically.