JAMMU FEBRUARY 22 (KNS): Strongly opposing the imposition of property tax in Jammu and Kashmir, senior National Conference leader and former minister Ajay Kumar Sadhotra on Wednesday said that the decision speaks volumes about the disconnect of the present dispensation with the people at ground zero, who have hugely been burdened by the alarming inflation, rise in power tariff and drinking water supply, total cut on LPG cylinders and frequent hikes in public transport fares.
“No wonder the J&K Government will tax air also, which has thus far missed the attention of the insensitive bureaucracy that has been pushing forward the BJP’s anti-poor agenda on jet speed”, Sadhotra said in a statement issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS), adding that the people are not sure what to come next in this part of the country.
Sadhotra sought immediate rollback of the proposed order with regard to imposition of the property tax by the Urban Development Department of the Jammu and Kashmir Government.
He attributed the draconian decisions, taken one after another, to the lack of vision of the double engine governments and absence of peoples’ government that is being undemocratically denied to the citizens. The BJP seems to be taking sadistic pleasure in sufferings of the people, keeping in view the recent harsh decisions, scams in recruitment process and compromise with lands and jobs of the bonafide residents of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Sadhotra added.
The former minister also referred to the recent jingoism on divesting the poor from their small holdings having dwelling units notwithstanding the so-called assurance by the government. The administration kept sword hanging on them to force them take to streets. In no way, the present dispensation is behaving like custodian of the rights of the people but it is brazenly pushing forward a specific agenda of the BJP, he said, urging the people to remain steadfast in rejecting the evil designs against them.
Mr Sadhotra lashed at the BJP and the present dispensation in Jammu and Kashmir for failure in mitigating the sufferings of the people and maintaining price line. He said that rising prices and unemployment are the major concerns of the people particularly women folk and the educated unemployed.(KNS)