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V S Achuthanandan calls for urgent assembly session

CPM seeks white paper on financial situation

Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan on Thursday demanded f urgent Assembly session to discuss the Rs 2010 core tax burden imposed by the government on the people.
In a statement here he said it was for the first time in the history that a state government had imposed taxes worth Rs 2010 crore through an official order. “Imposition of additional taxes without the approval of Assembly is unconstitutional. People are not bound to comply with such decisions,’’ he added.
Mr Achuthanandan said during the last budget the government had imposed taxes worth Rs 1500 crore and now it was much much higher. The chief minister is yet to explain to the people the need for imposing such a huge tax burden, he added.
The Opposition Leader demanded that the decision should be kept in abeyance till it was approved by Assembly. CPM and LDF leaders have sought a white paper on the financial situation in the state.

Finance Minister K.M. Mani on Thursday termed CPM call to boycott taxes as anti democratic and aimed at creating anarchy.
In a statement here he said the people would reject the CPM call. CPM was frustrated since most agitations organised by the party during the UDF government's current tenure so far, had failed. “CPM call does not behove a democratic party. This will only help in blocking development activities and pushing the society to anarchy,'' he added.
He said measures announced by the government would not affect the common people. It is strange that CPM which claims to support abstinence, is opposing additional resource mobilisation through hiking taxes on liquor and cigarette, he added.
Mr Mani said water tariff had been increased by Rs 2 only for those consumers who used more than 10,000 litres per month and the decision was aimed at cutting down the losses suffered by KWA. BPL families have been totally exempted form the hike, he said.
The minister said the government was prepared to hold discussion with the Opposition on the issue to remove their misapprehension.

( Source : dc correspondent )
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