Ishfaq Ur-Rehman Poswal, BJP leader and national executive member ST Morcha on Sunday expressed serious concerns over imposition of whopping 12.5 per cent Services Tax on the pilgrims of holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ji.According to a statement issued to KNS, demanding revocation of government order on hike in Taxes, Poswal wrote a letter to BJP chief Amit Shah urging him to pass directives to the state government to revoke the taxes with immediate effect.“The government decision has affected lakhs of pilgrims, who pay obeisance at the world famous holy shrine from across India every year. Through a letter, I urged Mr Amit Shah to immediately intervene in the matter and issue orders for revocation of the Taxes imposed on pilgrims,” said Poswal.“I have been told that Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) implemented the Tax on the pilgrims soon after Finance Ministry of the coalition Government headed by Haseeb Drabu recently issued an order imposing 12.5 per cent Services Tax on pilgrims of Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine,” he added.
He suggested that if at all government wants to raise economy by laving taxes, it should impose the same on the sale of liquor and tobacco in the state and not on the pilgrims.
The BJP leader said that the state government should realize that the decision of imposing tax will not only affect the pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir but lakhs of pilgrims from across India who pay obeisance at the world famous holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ji.With the recent hike in Taxes locally called as “Jazia”, prices of one way ticket from Katra to Sanji Chat in Jammu region has been raised from Rs 1039 to Rs 1170 while rates of to and fro tickets from Katra to Sanji Chat and back have been raised from Rs 2078 to Rs 2340, which has hurt the pilgrims.In his letter to the BJP Chief Poswal wrote, “As you may be aware of the fact that a huge chunk of pilgrims, from across India, fall under Below Poverty Line (BPL) and may not afford hike in taxes,”
“Also a large number of pilgrims mostly children and old aged people, prefer to fly to the cave shrine located at a high altitude place to have a glimpse of Goddess Vaishno Devi as they can’t trek about 30 kilometers distance to and fro for glimpse Of the cave shrine from Katra,” he added, while expressing his concerns over the hike in taxes.Meanwhile Poswal welcomed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s landmark decision of implementation of one rank-one pension (OROP).“It is indeed a great decision by the Prime Minister, who was keen to address their concerns. The armed forces personnel are the protectors of this nation and they really deserved this treat from the incumbent government,” said Poswal. (KNS)