Launching a scathing attack on the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party Government, Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Sunday accused it of unleashing “tax terrorism” on the state’s trading community. Citing alleged directions issued by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to GST officials, Warring claimed that the state government is attempting to meet revenue targets through coercion and extortion under the guise of enforcement.
Warring, taking to social media platform X, claimed that Cheema has instructed 250 GST Enforcement Tax Officers (ETOs) in the state to conduct at least four raids each per month, with a minimum recovery of Rs eight lakh from each raid. “This amounts to nearly 1,000 GST raids every month, leading to the forcible extraction of Rs 80 crore per month and nearly Rs 960 crore annually from Punjab’s traders,” he said, in a video post.
“This is not governance; this is government-sponsored loot,” Warring said, adding that such pressure tactics are breaking the backbone of Punjab’s already fragile economy. He warned that the ruling AAP Government is pushing the trading community to the brink by adopting “draconian” measures to fill its coffers.
The state Congress chief argued that traders in Punjab are already grappling with extortion threats from criminal elements and now face harassment from the very government meant to protect them. “Earlier, it was gangsters calling for ransom. Now, it’s the government officers knocking with targets to meet,” he said.
Warring further alleged that the motive behind this aggressive tax collection drive is to fund populist schemes like the proposed Rs 1,000 per month financial support to women. “It’s a classic case of robbing Peter to pay Paul,” he remarked.
Raising concern over the deteriorating investment climate, Warring pointed out that major industries have already exited the state due to policy uncertainty and unfavourable conditions. “Now, with traders also under siege, Punjab’s economic foundation is in jeopardy,” he warned.
Issuing a stern warning, Warring said that the Congress will stand firmly with Punjab’s business community and will resist any coercive or punitive action. “We will not allow this tax terrorism to destroy what’s left of trade and commerce in Punjab,” he asserted.