BJP national Secretary Tarun Chugh today said, his party will oppose any proposal to levy additional taxes on people of Punjab by the ruling Congress government.Slamming Amarinder government for trying to put additional burden on the people of Punjab in their bid to honour the unrealistic promises made during the run up to Punjab elections, Chugh said the people of the state were capable of reading in between the lines and know what the government meant."The Congress led by Amarinder Singh promised moon to the people of the state while it knew that the promises were unrealistic and could not be delivered. In order to wrest power, Congress became so desperate that they defied all logic and came out with a manifesto which was termed 'a bundle of lies' by both the BJP and the SAD," he said. Chugh said, "While Prime Minister Modi-led NDA government has introduced GST in order to bring a uniform tax structure with the consent of all the state governments, Congress government was trying to go against the spirit of GST which was a clear betrayal with the people of the state who trusted Congress and Capt Amarinder at the time of elections."
The BJP leader said that the Congress government plans to burden people of the state with new taxes and is targeting Rs.1,000 crore revenue from these taxes. Chugh said, "The Chief Minister and Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, in a meeting held at Chandigarh, with the senior officers of various departments including Transport, Power and Local Bodies, have asked them to submit proposals as to how the government can tax the common man."He said if the government goes ahead and levies new taxes, these will affect the poor and the middle class. The BJP leader warned Capt Amarinder Singh and Manpreet Singh Badal not to go ahead with the proposals. Instead, the government should curb expenses, ensure the recovery of present taxes and concentrate on welfare measures so as to honour their commitments with the people of the state. Chugh said it was the first government of the state which has lost its credibility and popularity in the very first four months of its rule. He warned both Amarinder and Manpreet that the BJP, with the help of people of Punjab, will oppose the proposals vehemently and won't allow the government to execute its plan to betray the people.