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February 18, 2010

Press Note date 17/02/2010 English

OFFICE OF THE LEADER OF OPPOSITION

Gujarat Vidhansabha, Gandhinagar.

Press Note                                                                   Dt. 17-02-2010

  • This year the burden of VAT of Rs 20,000 crore should be reduced. 
  • Surcharge on VAT which was imposed for one year should be withdrawn.
  • People have burden of surcharge amounting to Rs 5,000 crore. This has turned Gujarat costliest.
  • Agricultural produces of Gujarat are cheaper in Maharashtra
  • All should fight against terrorism united, but BJP is indulging in politics in its Indore meeting.
  • Effective policies of Dr. Manmohan Singh have made terrorists cause terror in Pakistan
  • Pakistan had not relented when BJP was in power in centre, but BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had bowed down to Pakistan at that time.

        Gujarat has maximum rate of Value Added Tax. In addition to this people are made to suffer a surcharge of 25 per cent on the VAT. This surcharge amounting to Rs 800 crore was introduced for one year to raise money for the development of Gujarat. But it is continued for the last two years. Gujarat Congress Legislature Party has demanded that this additional burden should be removed in the coming budget.

          Entire country is facing the problem of price rise. At a time when government of India is taking steps for the reduction of price rise, it is the moral responsibility of Gujarat government to take steps in this direction. If the amount of VAT is reduced and surcharge on VAT is moved, people of Gujarat will get great relief.

          While introducing surcharge on VAT, Gujarat government had claimed that it would cause a burden of Rs 800 crore only. But, the real amount is more than Rs 2,000 crore. In 2008-09, the VAT alone was around Rs 18,000 crore while in the current year the VAT income is expected to about Rs 20,000 crore.

          Maharashtra has a very low VAT slab. However, after the meeting Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had on price rice, Maharashtra government has further reduced VAT on essential commodities. Gujarat has not taken any step except blaming the central government. In the past, when BJP ruled both State and the Centre price of onion had brought tears in the eyes of people of the country. Why BJP forgets this?

          Chilly and coriander from Gujarat is sold in posh areas of Mumbai. But the prices of spices in Mumbai are less than in Gujarat. It is just because there is no VAT on essential items in Maharashtra. Here in Gujarat, VAT is highest and there is surcharge on it. Essential items have also not been spared. Gujarat government should reduce VAT and remove surcharge on it. Price of milk has been raised by father of a BJP MLA who heads Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation. A request has been made to the Chief Minister for the reduction in milk prices.

          We should unite to fight against terrorism instead of politicizing the issue. This is the demand of the time. In the last Lok Sabha elections, BJP tried its best to make it an issue, but mature electorate did not accept it. Despite this, BJP is trying to raise the issue at the meeting of its executive in Indore. But people will never accept it. People have not forgotten attacks on places like Raghunath Mandir, Red Fort, Parliament and Akshardham. They have also not forgotten that one BJP minister had gone to Kandhar with bagful of money for terrorists.

          Today, policies of UPA and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh are paying off. Pakistan is forced to take action against terrorists. As a result, terrorists are now creating terror in Pakistan. When dictator Musharraf had come to India and had a very insulting posture present Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj had greeted him bowing down.

          BJP has nothing constructive at its meeting in Indore and is induldging in dirty politics.

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