Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 8: Various political and non political organizations have taken strong exception to the levying of over 12 percent Service Tax on pilgrims of holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi traveling by helicopters and demanded its immediate revocation.
VHP Patron Dr. Ramakant Dubey has strongly criticized the decision and termed it a kind of Jazia imposed by some tyrant rulers on hapless people in medieval times.
Demanding immediate revocation of anti people decision which he said has hurt the sentiments of the Hindus, Dr Dubey warned that if the decision was not revoked immediately there would be nation-wide agitation.
He said already these pilgrims are being charged extra money as “Toll Tax” at Ban Check Post near Nagrota. Imposing of levy is certainly an addition to it thereby an anti-Hindu action. It is unfortunate that Finance Minister did not bother to consult his junior colleague Pawan Gupta while taking this anti people decision and it seems certainly a high level conspiracy behind the decision as Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has become an eye sore for Government which is eying its income, he added.
Maintaining that Shrine Board has since been functioning to the entire satisfaction of Hindus all over the world, he said the good public services rendered with its income should always be kept in view. It is running a full fledge University, religious school & the latest in the row is the hi-tech cancer hospital are in addition to the number of developmental activities in & around the area, he added.
Dr Dubey said economic stake holders of the State perhaps forget that with more than one crore pilgrims visiting this shrine annually, income accrued to the State exchequer through them cannot be over looked. On one hand Government is always boosting for development of tourism of the State but imposing of extra tax is certainly a step in the reverse.
Dr. Dubey said this way the Jazia is being imposed on a single community while there is nothing for others? Why tourism sectors like Gandola project of Gulmarg are not being covered under such draconian actions, he asked?
He said VHP treats this act of State Government as an interference in the religious rights of Hindus & warned that this imposition of tax is going to have a nationwide effect as pilgrims for all over India visit the state for performing pilgrimages to Mata Vaishno Devi , Shri Amarnathji, Machail Mata & other places.
He said SMVDSB is an autonomous body and thus it should behave in an independent character and not as puppet of State Government. Board, instead of implementing the tax should have gone for the remedial measures. Unnecessary haste in implementing this tax regime over Hindu pilgrims by Board authorities at Katra further creates doubts in the minds of the community whether the Shrine management is in safe hands or not.
Dr. Dubey warned the Administration that if the order of this Jazia is not withdrawn immediately, consequences may take some ugly turn for which the Government will be solely responsible.
Gopal Dass Pandey, Sukh Ram Sharma & Rakesh Sharma were also present in the press conference.
Meanwhile NPP Prof.Bhim Singh, Chief Patron of National Panthers Party in a statement condemned the Service Tax of Hindu pilgrims travelling by helicopter for darshan of Mata Vaishno Devi and described it as much worst than ‘Jazia’ imposed by the Mughals on the Hindus during their rule.
NPP supremo said that India is a secular country and the minorities are treated with utmost respect and dignity. Even Constitution of India has guaranteed them fundamental rights to practice any religion. There could be no discrimination on the basis of religion. He said that this is a great tragedy that RSS became ruling partners in J&K for the first and last time. This ‘Jazia’ (Service Tax) could not have been imposed on the Hindu pilgrims without consent of the BJP (RSS) ministers in J&K.
Prof Singh said that all the tourists including pilgrims have to pay all kind of taxes like Sale Tax, Purchase Tax and even Service Tax while purchasing tickets by Airlines or helicopters. Imposing Service Tax on the Vaishno Devi pilgrims traveling by helicopters within J&K is highly deplorable and cannot be accepted in a secular state, he added.
He asked Prime Minister Modi to explain it to the country men that why his government has insulted the Hindu pilgrims when the Hindus all over India voted for Modi for his ‘Hindutva’. Modi was given highly emotional reception by the Hindu citizens in USA, Kerala and all other countries wherever he went.
Secretary PCC and former MLA Ramban Ashok Kumar ahs also flayed the levying of Tax on Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims and demanded immediate revocation of the decision.
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