Letters: Drought tax

The Maharastra government has imposed fresh taxes amounting to Rs 1,600 crore to face the severe drought in the state on various items including fuel, labelling it as drought tax. As the proposal has not been passed in the Assembly how is it justified? Why is it turning a blind eye to multi-crore irrigation scam, whose accused culprits are roaming free and not even willing to be questioned as they remain continuously absent on flimsy excuses?  The citizens are made to cough up this tax so that those involved in the scam, who are indirectly responsible for the drought, can swim in their luxury. The government has neither the will nor the guts to bring to them to book. What is the guarantee that this tax will be discontinued if the next monsoon is favourable?

Shanmugam Mudaliar, Pune

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