Decision to levy more taxes under Centre's pressure: Sukhbir

"It is unfortunate that Congress-led UPA Government was laying pre-conditions for releasing the legitimate share of state in the central taxes," Badal told reporters here today.

He said the Punjab Government had resisted pressure from the Centre to impose property tax but the UPA Government had in turn withheld all sanctioned grants for JNNURM.

Badal alleged that sanctions worth Rs 1,100 crore under various projects of JNNURM had been witheld by the Centre last year and grants worth Rs 900 crore were being witheld for the current year since Punjab government had earlier refused to impose property tax.

He said despite constant pleadings, the Union Government had failed to see reason.

"We were forced by the Congress led UPA government to impose these taxes on Urban population as not imposing taxes would have resulted in total stoppage of all urban renewal projects," he said.

Badal said pre-conditions on states for releasing their legitimate share in the central taxes "was against the basic spirit of Constitution".

Taking a dig at state Congress chief Amarinder Singh and other Congress leaders for opposing taxes, Badal said that instead of speaking against SAD-BJP government "they should stage dharna before 10 Janpath for the removal of 'anti-aam aadmi' preconditions".

The Punjab government on Tuesday had decided to levy fresh taxes, including property tax, to mop up additional resources to the tune of Rs 900 crore per year.

Meanwhile, referring to the coal allocation issue, Badal compared Congress to 'East India Company' and alleged it was "looting the assets of the country and depositing it into Swiss banks".

When asked about emerging political scenario in the country, Badal said that the days for national parties to rule were over as regional parties' stake in the national affairs was increasing day by day.