Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) senior leader and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak condemned the BJP for imposing “arbitrary” tax hikes on the public. Pathak said the BJP-ruled SDMC has hiked various taxes which will affect nearly 20,000-25,000 businessmen and traders of Delhi. “The south Corporation has increased taxes by 100 per cent for the commercial and industrial rental units and the taxes for commercial vacant buildings has been increased by 50 per cent, and for vacant land, it has been increased by 67 per cent, “ he said.

Elaborating it further, he said that SDMC has increased tax for banquet halls, marriage halls, hotels, and guest houses by 25 per cent along with increasing taxes on education sites such as schools by 200 per cent. Pathak said BJP ruled SDMC has hiked taxes by 200 per cent for telecom towers, and for clubs and entertainment places by 36 per cent.

Condemning the tax hike, Pathak said, “The BJP wants to level its corruption and incompetence in the MCD in the last 14 years by looting the people of Delhi. The AAP will not let this happen, and it will go amongst the people and mobilise them against this wrongdoing. The people of Delhi will not bear this arbitrary decision of the BJP and we are opposing this decision.”

Pathak added, “When the BJP came in power in MCD elections, their chief Manoj Tiwari had said they will not impose or increase any arbitrary taxes. Last year, Bhupendra Gupta, who was the Chairman of the standing committee at that time, had also canceled all proposals and said no taxes will be increased, but today, they have started looting the public of Delhi through a thieving door.”

Prem Singh Chauhan, Leader of Opposition in SDMC said, “A few days back, Mayor of SDMC Anamika said she want to turn the municipal corporation into a self-reliant entity. I want to tell her that this is not a way to be self-reliant.”