MCD's house tax move draws flak

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, JULY 25.

The decision of the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi to impose House Tax on the 30-lakh people living in the Capital's unauthorised colonies has evoked sharp reactions among the political parties. They have condemned the move to put an additional burden on the poor who are already feeling harassed due to the harsh conditions for regularisation of colonies.

While it is not known on what basis the MCD has decided to implement the new tax measures aimed at garnering revenue for the cash-strapped Corporation, it could not have come at a worse time. The party is engaged in a factional war where there is a sharp difference of opinion on various matters among the senior leaders and it is bracing up to face the MCD polls early next year.

The proposal has evoked a sharp reaction within the party. It is believed that many Councillors and leaders have conveyed their resentment. They have pointed out that any such thing would prove suicidal and the party would have to pay a heavy price at the Corporation polls scheduled for February. Many feel that the BJP could have done without raising this issue and now it has placed ammunition in the hands of the Opposition.

The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee(I) president, Mr. Subhash Chopra, lambasted the BJP-ruled MCD for coming up with such a proposal which would further burden lakhs of people in unauthorised colonies. He said the BJP had always been an enemy of those living in the unauthorised colonies and had never taken any step for their welfare. Describing the proposal as anti- people, Mr. Chopra said his party would strongly oppose it.

The DPCC(I), he said, would launch an agitation against any such move and will not sit quiet. He said the MCD had failed to take any step to provide civic amenities in these 1,800-odd colonies and now was trying to impose house tax which was totally unjustified. The same views were echoed by the Leader of the Opposition in the MCD, Mr. Ram Babu Sharma, who said his party did not agree with the proposal.

The Lok Janshakti Party vice-president, Mr. Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, said he had conveyed his resentment on the issue to the Delhi Mayor, Mr. Shanti Desai. ``This is something which is not acceptable to us. It is wrong to impose house tax in colonies where the MCD is not providing any facilities. The MCD cannot take the 30 lakh people living in these colonies for a ride. This move by the BJP-dominated MCD is not practical and they should first carry out a survey to start civic works before any tax is imposed. The MCD may be short of cash but it has no right to recover the same from the poor,'' he added.

The Nasirpur MLA, Mr. Mahabal Mishra, whose constituency is dominated by unauthorised colonies, warned that he would be forced to launch an agitation if the MCD went ahead with this decision.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Previous : The killers left nothing to chance
Next     : Sheila Dikshit discharged