Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today led thousands of Congress workers staging a massive protest dharna against the punitive tax regime imposed by the Akali-BJP government in the state.He was accompanied by senior party leaders including the Congress Legislative Party Leader Sunil Jakhar, local MP and the National Spokesperson of the Congress Manish Tewari. The District Congress Committee, Ludhiana president Pawan Dewan, MLAs Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Gurkirat Kotli, Surinder Dawer, Rakesh Pandey, Amrik Dhillon, Gurcharan Singh Boparai and others.Later the Congress leaders also submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Governor, to the Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana.The Congress workers were raising slogans against the government demanding withdrawal of the taxes. The protest started around 10 am in the morning and concluded at 2 pm with the address of the PCC President Capt Amarinder Singh.Addressing the protestors Capt Amarinder questioned the logic of imposing such punitive taxes which will only stifle the trade and industry in the state. He said, the government instead of imposing such heavy taxes should better have expanded the base by making investment friendly policies which would invite investment and not only generate revenue but also create jobs.The PCC President asked the government if it really needed so much money to impose such harsh taxes in the state, then what was the need to buy a helicopter for Rs 38 crores? “That means you are actually robbing people for your own comforts”, he remarked while adding, the state government was resorting to profligacy and not cutting its useless expenses.He pointed out, while the economy is tantrums the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his entire family had gone on the world tour on government expenses. He asked when the state does not have any money why does it need 21 Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and so many advisors to the Chief Minister with cabinet rank, pay, perks and other things. He asked the government to better stop the wasteful expenditure than impose taxes.The Punjab Congress President said that the protests will continue till the government did not roll back these taxes. He said, every section of the society was upset and annoyed with the government and people wanted their voice to be raised and the Congress was just doing that. He also welcomed the Sanjha Morcha programme to protest against the government.
Prominent among those present included Punjab Youth Congress President Vikram Chaudhary, Tej Parkash, Milkiat Singh Birmi, Jassi Khangura, Isher Singh Meharban, Vikram Bajwa, Jagjivan Gill, Gurdeep Bhaini, Gurmail Pahalwan, Leena Taparia, Jagdeep Sidhu, Parminder Mehta, Amarjit Singh Tikka, Sonu Dhesi, Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, Pappi Prashar, Major Amardeep, Karanpal Sekhon, Anand Swarup Singh Mohi and others.