The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) used the wealth tax issue to great effect to score brownie points off the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA). A clause in the Finance Bill redefining land within eight km of municipal limits as "urban" and, therefore, subject to wealth tax had caused much heartburn, especially in Punjab.
NDA constituent Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) quickly tom-tommed the clause as another "anti-people, anti-farmer" policy from the UPA-led Centre, announcing statewide protests on May 2 and calling a special Assembly session on May 3.
Then, Finance Minister P Chidambaram announced an amendment to the clause in his reply to the Budget debate on April 30 - much to the annoyance of SAD's members of Parliament (MPs) who were brandishing placards and protesting in the House. The finance minister went on to thank profusely Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa and Congress MPs from several states who, he said, had met him and expressed their concern.
A livid SAD member Harsimrat Kaur Badal shot back, "What about the chief minister of Punjab?" To which Chidambaram replied with bland irony, "He has not met me. He has not even written to me about it." Touche: SAD highlighted the issue, but it was the Congress that won the "farmer-friendly" spurs.
NDA constituent Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) quickly tom-tommed the clause as another "anti-people, anti-farmer" policy from the UPA-led Centre, announcing statewide protests on May 2 and calling a special Assembly session on May 3.
Then, Finance Minister P Chidambaram announced an amendment to the clause in his reply to the Budget debate on April 30 - much to the annoyance of SAD's members of Parliament (MPs) who were brandishing placards and protesting in the House. The finance minister went on to thank profusely Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa and Congress MPs from several states who, he said, had met him and expressed their concern.
A livid SAD member Harsimrat Kaur Badal shot back, "What about the chief minister of Punjab?" To which Chidambaram replied with bland irony, "He has not met me. He has not even written to me about it." Touche: SAD highlighted the issue, but it was the Congress that won the "farmer-friendly" spurs.