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Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad on Thursday appealed to the Centre not to impose a property tax on the union territory as it will be an "extra burden" for the people.
"People of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered in the last 32 years and they are still facing many challenges. In this situation, imposing property tax on them and snatching of land is an injustice to the people of JK. I appeal to the government to stop this property tax order for a few years," Azad said. On Tuesday, the Jammu and Kashmir administration ordered the imposition of property tax across its municipal areas from April 1. The tax rates will be 5 per cent of annual taxable value (TAV) for residential properties and 6 per cent for commercial properties, it had said The residential and non-residential properties have been included in the collection of the property tax. The imposition has drawn flak with almost every political party except BJP denouncing the government order saying that it is an attempt to overburden the people who are already reeling under economic difficulty due to decades of turmoil. Junaid Azim Mattu Srinagar city Mayor claimed that the decision was not approved by elected ULBs and that the SMC will explore ways to contest what he called an 'arbitrary move'. While, Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister and National Conference Vice President took to Twitter and asked why the people in J-K will pay the state taxes including the property tax when they have no say in how the government is run and other decision-making. "No Taxation Without Representation. Why should people in J-K pay state taxes including the proposed property tax when we have no say in how our government is run and no say in the decision-making of J-K? We are expected to be mute spectators to all unjust decisions by Raj Bhavan," Omer Abdullah tweeted. (ANI)
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