AAP to protest against SDMC tax proposals

nNEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will organise a protest outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office on Wednesday against the decision of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to levy a professional tax on self-employed persons, hike tax on transfer of property, and almost double the taxes on rented commercial properties.

All three municipal corporations in Delhi are ruled by the BJP.THE SDMC House on Monday passed the proposal to levy a professional tax on self-employed persons and professionals working in companies — a first in Delhi — and doubled the tax on rented commercial properties. The civic body also approved a 1% hike in tax on transfer of property, with an aim to ramp up revenue collection which has been hit by the national lockdown to contain spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The AAP’S political affairs committee member and in-charge of municipal corporation affairs Durgesh Pathak on Tuesday also criticised the Congress and said its councillors did not oppose the move in the SDMC House when it was passed on Monday.

“The BJP should be ashamed of implementing these taxes at a time when people are struggling because of the pandemic… We shall be protesting outside the BJP office tomorrow (Wednesday)… While the BJP is the party behind the taxes, the Congress worked in connivance with it by remaining silent in the House while the taxes were passed” Pathak said during a press conference on Tuesday.

Delhi Congress chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar said, “Congress councillors in the House had openly and vehemently opposed the passing of the new taxes, which at a time like this is inhuman and an additional burden on the common man. Both the AAP and the BJP are fooling people the same way. The Congress is also going to hold a press meet on the issue tomorrow (Wednesday).”

In response to AAP’S allegations, BJP leader and SDMC mayor Anamika Mithilesh said due to the pandemic, the income of the civic body has been hit and its financial condition has worsened, leaving them with no option but to levy taxes.

“In the past, we refrained from imposing any new tax or increasing rates of existing taxes but the Covid-19 has changed the scenario. As per the recommendations of the Fifth Finance Commission, Delhi government has to give us ₹1,300 crore but it is yet to do so. Hence, we had to levy taxes. We have designed tax slabs in such a way that it does not impact the common man,” she said.