Wealth tax on farmlands will not be levied after all. Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday claimed that the Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has given an assurance that the proposed tax will not be imposed on agriculture lands.
The assurance came at a time when the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in Punjab have planned a Statewide dharna on May 2 and convened a special session of the State Vidhan Sabha on May 3, besides forming a national consensus on the issue by garnering support from all national or regional parties.
The development took place the same day when the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal called upon the State Congress leadership to ensure attendance of all its legislators in the special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to oppose the imposition of wealth tax on agriculture land around urban areas.
“This tax would sound the death knell of all farmers and of millions of others dependent on agriculture related professions,” asserted Badal.
Chief Minister has written separate letters to the top Congress leaders of the State to request cooperation in the Punjab Government’s drive against the imposition of wealth tax on agriculture lands in any form.
Badal, in fact, spoke to the leader of the Opposition Sunil Kumar Jakhar and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal over the phone urging them to join the State Government’s efforts to save the farmers and the economy from “certain death”.
Badal also tried to contact the State Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa, who could not be contacted immediately owing to his engagements in ongoing Parliament session in New Delhi. However, Badal was unaware that Bajwa had some good news for him instead.
Bajwa’s claims came after he along with Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and party MPs met P Chidmabram in New Delhi on Monday.
Besides assurance, Bajwa claimed that Union Finance Minister has also issued instructions to the Income Tax department to keep in abeyance, if any, notices for wealth tax issued to farmers.
With the acceptance of demand of not imposing wealth tax, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president said that the special session of Vidhan Sabha summoned by SAD-BJP Government has become “redundant”.
“It is the victory of Congress party that fought for the cause of farming community,” he said.
“At the end of the day, the state Congress leadership has delivered whatever promises it made to the people of Punjab. Congress stood by the farmers in the past and will always fight for their rights….while the SAD has blown the whole issue out of proportion to make political capital out of it,” added Bajwa.
Bajwa asked the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to discuss other important issues in the Vidhan Sabha session like deteriorating law and order situation and emergence of communal forces in Punjab.
“SAD-BJP Government is running away from debate on issues of public interest including the unprecedented hike of 80 per cent of power during last six years, imposition of property tax, illegal mining, withdrawal of free education facility to girls, non-payment of old age and widow pensions and Shagun scheme money for the last two years,” he pointed.
Congress delegation also met party chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday to voice party’s concerns over the proposal to impose wealth tax on agricultural land. the delegation comprise leaders from Punjab, Haryana.
After the meeting, Bajwa said that it was urgent for them to apprise the leadership of the “ill-effects” on farmers of the proposed amendment before it became a law.
Badal, on the other hand, has asked the Congress leaders to oppose the imposition of this tax on the floor of the Parliament too.
“This is no time for political one-upmanship. This is indeed a historic hour and history and future generations will not forgive us if we are found lacking in moral courage and honest convictions and commitment to the welfare of our people.”
“I am sure the Congress party would not stand in the way of the justice for the poor and suffering people who are going to be fatally by the wealth tax move. I request the Congress leaders to ensure the presence of each and every member of the ClP in the session,” the Chief Minister told the PPCC leaders, before Bajwa’s announcement of non-imposition of wealth tax.