The BJP corporators on the civic law committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday staged a walkout after the civic administration and the ruling Shiv Sena failed to clarify its stand on property tax exemption. BJP corporators accused the BMC and Sena of manipulating the implementation of the approved resolution on property tax exemption to Mumbaikars owning 500 square feet or smaller houses.
During the discussion in the Law Committee meeting held on Monday, the BJP corporators asked the administration to clarify its stand on giving property tax waiver to houses are 500 sq. ft or smaller. Corporator of Andheri Abhijit Samant, Corporator from Mumbadevi Atul Shah and Juhu corporator Anish Makwani said that the administration should implement this amnesty immediately.
Samant said the BMC commissioner should make a statement on the issue immediately. “We protested against this insensitivity shown towards Mumbaikar's by the BMC and ruling Shiv Sena. We walked out after the Commissioner's representative, Joint Commissioner Anand Waghralkar, failed to comment on the issue.”
The Shiv Sena in its 2017 civic polls manifesto had promised waiver of property tax for houses that are 500 sq. ft and smaller. The property tax exemption matter also invited protests from BJP and MNS party workers in Thane. Several public representatives in the Thane Municipal corporation created a ruckus in the general body meeting in September 2020, reminding the ruling party of its promise in the pandemic.
BJP corporators in BMC have now joined the bandwagon of their counterparts in TMC. Samant said, they will ensure the administration comes out with a clarification. "The BMC commissioner has to come out with a clarification and ensure the implementation of the property tax waiver to Mumbaikars."
