The streets of Kashmir again seem to have become the centre of political battles, however, this time it is the pro-establishment groups that are coming to the streets time and again for their voices to be heard.
Days after the political tumult over eviction drives ended in the valley after the administration “temporarily halted” the drive in Kashmir, the latest order that has created an uproar in Kashmir is the admin’s order to impose property taxes in Jammu Kashmir.
On Saturday, People’s Democratic Party hit the streets demanding a rollback of the order which called for an imposition of property tax in municipal areas from April 1. The tax rates will be 5% of taxable annual value for residential properties and 6% for commercial properties, it stated.
In a statement, the party said that the protest match was against the “bulldozer policy” initiated by the administration. Speaking to reporters, Party’s chief spokesperson Suhail Bukhari alleged that the government was trying to economically weaken the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“First, our political rights were taken away, then democracy was buried here, poor people were harassed in the name of demolition and their houses bulldozed. Now the property tax. The economic situation in Jammu and Kashmir has become worse in the last five years. There is no employment (generation), industrial sector here is weak,” he said.
The PDP chief spokesperson said the administration should have held people’s hand “but, contrary to that, the BJP government is trying to further the troubles of the people”.
He demanded that the government roll back the decision.
Emphasizing on the conflict in the region and its economic consequences, Bhartiya Janta Party’s Srinagar Spokesperson, Altaf Thakur earlier that it was not the “right time” to impose property taxes in Jammu Kashmir. Several leaders of the party have condemned the decision of the imposition of property taxes in Jammu Kashmir.
Jammu’s Mayor, Rajinder Sharma said levying property tax was the administration’s decision, not of the local body. “There will be a special House meeting after two days. The decision of the councilors will be informed to the L-G. In case the councilors are against the property tax, we will tell that the people of Jammu are not ready for this tax,” Sharma said.
However, not only politicians of the BJP, the office bearers of the Municipal Corporation in Kashmir’s capital have opposed the admin’s decision of imposing property taxes. The Srinagar Municipal Corporation has strongly registered their protest against what it called “bureaucratic imposition” of taxes in Jammu Kashmir notified by officials earlier this week.
Corporators of Srinagar have gathered to pass a unanimous resolution against the imposition of taxes upon people, Parvaiz Ahmad Qadri Saif, the Deputy mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation said. “It is a direct imposition without having any of the stakeholders onboard. Who was consulted before the rules were drafted?” he asked. Only an elected Government should have the right to pass laws, he said.
Earlier, the former Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir Omar Abdullah had castigated the administration stating that it should not enforce laws upon the people of Jammu Kashmir. “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 & no say in the decision making of J-K. We are expected to be mute spectators to all unjust decisions by Raj Bhavan,” the former Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir tweeted.
Senior CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami termed the decision as “arbitrary and undemocratic”.
On Thursday, the High Court Bar Association in Jammu is observing a pen-down strike calling for an immediate rollback of the order.