In a stinging political retaliation, BJP leader R Ashoka on Tuesday accused the Karnataka Congress government of tax chori (tax theft), and made the government the subject of his attack on the issue of property taxes being collected in Bengaluru amid unfinished civic works. This accusation is in direct response to the vote chori comment of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had criticised the BJP and the Election Commission in relation to vote irregularities in the 2023 Assembly and 2024 Parliamentary elections in the Aland and Mahadevpura constituencies in Karnataka.
Ashoka, the leader of the opposition party in the Karnataka Assembly, quoted a grievance letter by a citizens’ forum to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, requesting the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to stop charging property tax to residents until all the necessary infrastructure is in place. As per the discussion in the forum, roads and drainage systems in certain areas of the city, especially Varthur-Balagere-Panathur, are not scientific, unfinished and not well coordinated, leading to flooding and poor road conditions.
This has never been witnessed in the history of India, and citizens are literally writing directly to the Chief Minister requesting to put a halt to his collection of tax till their money is well utilised, Ashoka said. He pointed the blame on the CM and the Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar of apathy and claimed that the people of Bengaluru are growing frustrated at promises that are not kept and poor civic services.
Ashoka wrote on his social media page X “Congratulations, Bengaluru has a new motto: CONGRESS TAX CHOR HAI! The government is also collecting taxes, but not constructing roads or repairing drains. Stop this tax chori!” He made it clear that Bengaluru people did not require excuses or intimidation, but action, and urged the authorities to act as soon as possible to have the civic projects completed efficiently.
One such organisation is the Citizens Forum, which is under the name of the Individual Taxpayers Forum, and it is the organisation that represents the rights of taxpayers. In an October 13 letter, they explained how half-measured, unscientific, and ill-coordinated municipal works were.
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