
‘Tax terrorism': Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal says excise, taxation officers being given monthly raid targets
Chandigarh:
Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal
has voiced opposition to what it is calling a fresh wave of "
tax terrorism
", following new directives reportedly issued to the state's finance and
GST departments
.
Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal president Amit Kapoor alleged that the govt has set aggressive monthly raid targets for excise and taxation officers (ETOs), under which each officer was expected to conduct multiple raids resulting in hefty penalties. "With 250 ETOs in the state, nearly 1,000 raids will be carried out every month. This is nothing short of organised extortion, projected to squeeze around Rs 1,000 crore annually from the
trading community
," Kapoor alleged.
Kapoor criticised the state govt, asking if it is now seeking to fill its coffers at the expense of small and medium traders just to fulfil the promises made during the elections. "This so-called common man's govt is planning to burden honest traders instead of supporting them in difficult times," he said.
The traders' body also raised concerns about law and order, alleging that traders were already facing threats and extortion from criminal gangs. "Instead of safeguarding the trading community, the govt is implementing policies that could destroy the small businesses still struggling to survive," Kapoor added.
by Taboola
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Issuing a stern warning, Kapoor declared that they would not tolerate any harassment of traders and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the order. "If the govt fails to act, the trader community will have no option but to take to the streets in protest," he said.
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