The BJP has come down heavily on the Shiv Sena and BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal over the recent BMC budget. The BJP said the Shiv Sena has backstabbed Mumbaikars by increasing the property tax.
Recently, a decision was made to waive property tax of residential structures with an area under 500 sqft. Within days, the BMC, in its budget has announced that it will collect Rs 7,000 crore in the form of property tax.
At a media interaction when a question was posed to Chahal on how would the BMC accomplish the target in a situation when it has decided to waive tax for houses up to 500 sqft, said the revision of property tax hasn’t been done for the last two years and that it may increase by 15 to 16 per cent for properties over 500 sqft.
BJP group leader in the BMC, Prabhakar Shinde, said the commissioner during his budget speech did not mention a rise in property tax, but later while speaking with the media accepted that it will be increased. “It is a sheer betrayal of Mumbaikars’ trust,” he said.
However, Mayor Kishori Pednekar told the Free Press Journal that she was not aware of Chahal’s statement. She added, “Now the BJP is maligning the image of Mumbai by using BMC chief’s words. Even, we (Shiv Sena) are demanding that 60 per cent tax of residential properties between 500 sqft and 700 sqft should be waived.”
Shinde said that the BJP will not tolerate any excessive property tax levied by the BMC on Mumbaikars. “Though the commissioner is saying the civic body will complete projects of Rs 90,000 crore, the BMC has a provision of Rs 17,442 crore only. How can the BMC complete its projects?” asked Shinde, also asking when would the corporation get its GST dues of Rs 6,768.16 crore from the state government.
BJP MLA Rajhans Singh said the behaviour of the commissioner is violating democratic values and that the Shiv Sena has cheated the common man and the people will teach the party a lesson in the upcoming elections.
