Punjab Cong stages walk out in Assembly on property tax issue

Opposition Congress today staged a walk out from Punjab Assembly after not getting assurance from treasury benches with regard to rollback of property tax.
Raising the matter during the legislative business on the last day of budget session, Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu demanded that property tax should be rolled back as the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme has now lapsed.
"Property tax should now be scrapped as the JNNRUM scheme has lapsed," said Ashu.
Punjab Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi who proposed amendment in Punjab Municipal Corporation (Amendment Bill) 2014 said the state government is not levying new tax.

Referring to amendments in the law, Joshi said, "It is not a new tax. Moreover, the state government has already brought down tax implication on industries arising out of property tax."
Joining the issue, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the state government would soon review the property tax and would remove any anomalies prevalent in the same during the next meeting of the state Cabinet.

After hearing the statement of Badal, Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar stood from his seat and asked Badal, "When there are deficiencies in property tax then why it is being imposed on public."

He immediately demanded withdrawal of property tax while other Congress members also supported him on this issue.
Not hearing any reply from treasury benches, Congress MLAs walked out of the House while raising slogans of rollback of property tax.
Earlier during Zero Hour, Leader of Opposition moved a privilege motion against Mansa SSP Bhupinder Singh Khattra for dragging the name of Congress MLA Amarinder Singh Raja Warring in an alleged drug racket case in Mansa, which was reported by a section of media.
However, Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanit Singh Atwal did not allow the motion saying Jakhar should have given the notice for motion before the commencement of sitting.

Joining the issue, Congress MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa alleged that the said SSP was even dismissed from service following an FIR being lodged against him under various sections of IPC in 2002.
However, Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal said the SSP was exonerated by the Court.