Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, 12 March 2016: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday criticised the BJP led union government for levying one percent Cess on the gold jewellery and other gold products hence forcing the Punjab jewellers and many more from all across the country to on hunger strike in protest.
AAP, Punjab convener, Sucha Singh Chhotepur, said Modi government seemed to have adopted double standards on the aforesaid issue.
The BJP held several protest demonstration when Dr. Manmohan Singh government levied a similar tax on the jewellery and other products of gold. The jewellers had to protest for 21 days continuously against the government before the UPA government was forced to roll back the tax on gold jewellery and other products.
Chhotepur said the levying of tax by the union government would not only affect the jewellers but also have an adverse impact on the pocket of the common man who is already reeling under the burden of rising prices of the essential commodities.
Chhotepur said since jewellers were already paying VAT and income tax on their business transactions what was the need to levy the additional cess.
Taking a dig at Parkash Singh Badal government in Punjab, Chhotepur said it appeared to protect the ministerial berth of his daughter in law Harsimrat Kaur Badal in the Modi government the former seemed to have completely forgotten about the plight of the businessmen as well as of the common man.
Chhotepur said AAP strongly opposed the levying of the cess on the jewellers and would support their cause to any extent even if they had to come out on the streets.
