Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: Demanding roll back on the hike in VAT and Toll Tax, imposition of service tax on Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims and framing of definite policy for regularization of daily rated workers, Jammu Kashmir National Panthers Party (NPP) today supported the bandh call given by Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jammu and also appealed the people to observe a complete shut down on June 4 as a mark of protest against the anti people policies of the Coalition Govt.
Talking to reporters here chairman of the party Harshdev Singh regretted that while the MLAs were seeking enhancement of their salaries besides increase in their discretionary grant of CDF during discussions in the Assembly, the issues of DRWs, contractual, Anganwari workers, academic arrangement lecturers besides other under-employed youth had receded into the oblivion with no takers for the woes of such exploited categories.
He said several BJP MLAs had demanded a four times hike in their salaries, the issues of daily rated workers including regularization and enhancement of wages had been consigned to the dust bin. He further said that the contractual and academic arrangement lecturers were being made to work on paltry honorarium of Rs 7,000 per month for the last several years with no mention of their regularization or increase in their emoluments.
Condemning the massive hike in the VAT and Toll Tax besides entertainment levy on Satellite, Cable TV, he said that the Govt had posed the most menacing threat to the purse of the common man. He lambasted in particular the massive increase in the taxes on milk and milk products including Lassi and butter, milk, juices, frozen foods, garments and hosiery goods. He said that not only the State Govt’s budget but the Central Govt’s order effecting hike in the prices in diesel and petrol would further have a cascading effect on the prices of essential commodities thus aggravating the woes of common man.
Strongly condemning the failure of the BJP legislators to get the service tax on Helicopter services revoked, he regretted that these leaders miserably failed to represent the cause of the people. He castigated the Govt for its failure to enhance the pension of old aged, handicapped, widows and destitute as promised in the last year’s budget.
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