Congress moves two adjournment motions to debate post flood measures, service tax for pilgrims
Srinagar, Oct 3 (KNS): State Congress Saturday moved two adjournment motions to seek debate on relief and rehabilitation of flood and rain victims and on service tax leveled on chopper service during pilgrimage in both houses of the Assembly.
Alleging PDP- BJP government for failing to rehabilitate the flood victims of 2014, Congress also sought debate on 12. 5 per cent service tax imposed by the PDP- BJP government to pilgrims travelling to Vaishno Devi shrine and Amarnath cave by helicopter.
Terming, leveling of service tax on pilgrimage as ‘anti- people move’, Congress submitted bills to seek debate on both of the issues in both houses of the Assembly during the ongoing autumn session which began here Saturday.
Congress party state spokesperson, Ravinder Sharma told KNS that both issues were of grave concern and needed to be discussed during the JK Assembly’s autumn session.
“Lakhs of people were hit by the September deluge in 2014 but the present dispensation is yet to rehabilitate those flood hit people,” he said.
He said that government’s decision of leveling service tax on pilgrimage has hit the people aspiration and sentiments of people. “This trend has made the chopper service for the pilgrims a costly affair. Government must revoke these orders,” he said.
He said that BJP on one hand imposed service tax on pilgrimage and on the other hand was trying to stay out of the issue. “BJP imposed this tax on pilgrims and now stay mum as if they did not know about such law has been imposed in the state. BJP must clear its stand on the issue and break its criminal silence,” he added.
Meanwhile, Congress MLC G N Monga said that adjournments motions have been submitted in both houses for the discussion on October 5 (Monday) during the ongoing autumn session.
He said that he submitted the bill in the council while as MLA Congress Aijaz Khan submitted same in the lower house of the Legislative Assembly. (KNS)
