The AAP on Sunday alleged that MCD is threatening to seal shops across the national Capital in name of conversion tax by sending notices to traders and unnecessarily harassing the businessmen. AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak said MCD changed the payment system of conversion tax without consulting the businessmen of Delhi and hiked the taxed rate arbitrarily.
“BJP-ruled MCD has waged a war against the people of Delhi and especially against the businessmen of Delhi. BJP leaders and MCD officers have been threatening the traders of Delhi since last week. Notices are being sent to them, threatening to seal their shops,” said Pathak.
“In 2010, BJP-ruled MCD came up with a new rule that whoever is doing commercial activities in the industrial area will have to pay a tax in the form of conversion tax. Most of the traders had adopted the 10-15 year installment formula because they were small traders and they did not have a huge income. Everyone used to submit their conversion rate whenever on time at the end of the year,” said Pathak.
“This rule started in 2010 and came into force in 2011. It was supposed to run till 2020-2021 since people had opted for the 10 years formula. But in 2018, MCD came up with a new rule through a backdoor entry. They said that from now on, instead of paying Rs 8 thousand per sq mtr, they will have to pay `21 thousand per sq mtr and that too for the entire plot,” said Pathak.
“Now, since the past one week, BJP leaders and MCD officials are calling each and every businessman. Those who were supposed to pay `10 lakh are now given notices of `1 crore to `2 crore. They have been ordered to deposit this money within 15 days failing which their shops will be sealed.