In the process of forming a “political and social” consensus against imposition of wealth tax on farmlands, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has shot off written communications to the Prime Minister cautioning him against “serious conflagration of social disorder, anarchy and economic crisis” if wealth tax is levied on agricultural lands in the country.
Besides the Prime Minister, Badal also wrote separate letters to the Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, all Members of Parliament (MPs), all Chief Ministers (CMs), along with the national and regional leaders, urging them to oppose this move in and outside Parliament.
In a letter spelling out “the details of the ruinous decision in this regard, Badal requested the Prime Minister’s personal, immediate and effective intervention to ensure that agriculture lands are not brought under the ambit of the Wealth Tax Act.
Similar requests have also been made to the Union Finance Minister and other Union Ministries directly or indirectly related to this issue.
At the same time, Badal has also written separately to Chief Ministers of all States, urging his counterparts to oppose the imposition of this tax as it would sound “a death knell of the already beleaguered peasantry and of others dependent directly or indirectly on agriculture”.
Giving details of Badal’s “comprehensive and unprecedented initiative”, his advisor on National Affairs Harcharan Bains said that there has been an overwhelming response across the political spectrum to the Chief Minister’s efforts.
“There is a growing realisation among the leaders approached so far by Badal about that wealth tax on agriculture would affect not only farmers but a whole range of economic activities. Badal has pointed out that impact of this decision would be felt in small and medium traders also dealing with retail of farm produce such as atta, grain, pulses or vegetable or manufacturers of agriculture implements, tools, and machinery.
Further, this would also seriously impact producers and retailers of fertilisers, pesticides and other items used as agricultural inputs,” he added.
Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, also SAD president, are awaiting a response to their request for personal audience with the Prime Minister on this issue. They are likely to meet the PM on April 30 or May 1, though no date has yet been finalised.
Badal pointed out that every farmer would have to pay wealth tax in the range of Rs30,000 to Rs70,000 per acre annually, whereas the annual agriculture production of the farmer is far less than this tax resulting in “alarming discontent and unrest across the country.”
Badal is also likely to call on BJP national president Rajnath Singh, Janta Dal United president and NDA convener Sharad Yadav, Samajvadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav, besides Janta Dal chief lalu Prasad Yadav and several leaders of the regional and national political parties to enlist their support of the farmers cause thereby mounting pressure on the ruling UPA Government at the Centre to shelve this dangerous move without any further delay.
It may be recalled that SAD core committee had passed a resolution for convening a special session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha on May 3. It also decided that SAD and its alliance partner BJP would hold Statewide dharnas at district headquarters from 11 am to 1 pm on May 2.
All ministers, senior leaders, MPs, MlAs, Zila and Circle Jathedars of the SAD and other office bearers of both parties will lead thousands of workers and farmers at the dharnas, added Bains.
Bajwa says Akalis spreading wrong information on issue
Coming down heavily on the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for misleading people on the issue of wealth tax, Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa on Sunday said that Akalis are spreading misinformation and holding protests only to make political capital out of a non-issue.
Asking the State’s farming community “not to panic”, he maintained that he will be meeting All Indian Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi on Monday to make her aware of the State unit’s stand on the issue.
Bajwa, in an official statement, said that the amendment in the law to impose wealth tax on agriculture land was merely a proposal and it has not been passed by the Parliament.
At the same time, he assured the farming community that Punjab Congress would not allow this proposal to be cleared.
“Badals are merely trying to create panic by spreading rumours that IT dept has started issuing notices for collection of wealth tax from farmers,” said Bajwa, clarifying that IT had issued few notices to only specific individuals based in Jalandhar pursuant to a Supreme Court Judgment in the case of Gurdip Singh Nagra limited to these individuals alone which relates to an amendment as far as 1993 and not the current proposed amendment.
“The Congress has interests of farmers on top priority and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) is very clear on its priorities,” PPCC chief said, adding that it has “unanimously opposed the proposed amendment”.
“The people of Punjab especially the farmer community should be rest assured that we are completely with them and they shall not be exposed to this added burden,” he added.
He announced that he would be meeting AICC president Sonia Gandhi on Monday to let her know the stand of Punjab Congress.
“Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram is already seized of the matter. Being a farmer myself, I appeal to farmers not to panic, wealth tax will not be imposed,” he added.