SAD strongly condemns 5 percent hike in Property Tax  during COVID Pandemic

Roll back hike within a week or we will stage dharnas in front of Municipal bodies: NK Sharma

Chandigarh, April 6 : The Shiromani Akali Dal has strongly condemned 5 percent hike in property tax imposed by Punjab Government during COVID pandemic period and has given it an ultimatum for one week for either roll back this hike or be ready to face agitation on the issue.

In a statement released here today, the SAD Trade an Industry Wing President  NK Sharma said that it is shocking to see that instead of providing any package to traders and  other sections in urban areas in this time of COVID crisis this government has not only come out with a decision to hike property tax by 5 percent but has immediately implemented it without considering its adverse affect on the urban population of the state.

Sharma said that first this government sent hefty power bills to the traders, shopkeepers and other small businessmen for the period of COVID lockdown when everything was shut and leave aside paying bill these small businessmen were struggling for their survival for getting two meals a day.  He said that neither the government bothered to help these shopkeepers, traders and other small businessmen nor it has withdrawn electricity bill for the lockdown period though an assurance in this regard was given by the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh himself in the state assembly.

The SAD leader said that it seems that motive of this Congress government is totally trader and business in state in the name of so called reforms. He said that earlier too professional tax was slapped on salaried class which mostly consists of urban population and now this hike has been imposed without consulting anyone or without considering its disastrous impact it will have on people. He said that further more decision of increasing property tax every three years is like rubbing salt on the wounds of people.

 NK Sharma gave an ultimatum to the Congress government to either withdraw this hike in property tax within a week or be ready to face agitation that will begin with dharnas in front of municipal bodies in cities.