Awami National Conference Friday hit out at government of India for its decision to empower J&K administration to impose property tax.
In a statement, the party senior Vice President, Muzaffar Shah said it has become a routine for the BJP government to bring amendments in existing laws. “Eleven laws have been changed in recent past to harass people of Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier Cooperative banks that were introduced by Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah were attacked and now this unjust property tax is being enforced on people. This is grave injustice. People are already reeling under the financial crunches due to slowdown of economy and this unnecessary and extra property tax will put more burden on them,” he said.
Shah said 83% of Kashmir population was commoners who were neither government employees nor traders. “They do not have even money to arrange two meals and the imposition of property tax seems to be an illogical and illicit decision by the Union government,” Shah said. “We have suffered huge losses due to abrogation of J&K’s special status, enforced shutdown and COVID pandemic,” he said.