Uniform sales tax: CM's 'failure' criticised

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, MAY 20. Mr. C. P. Tirunavukarasu, a DMK Rajya Sabha member from Pondicherry, today criticised the failure of the Pondicherry Chief Minister Mr. P. Shanmugham, in airing the sentiments of the Union Territory against the attempt of the Centre to bring in uniform floor rate of taxes in the Union Territory.

Referring to media reports that Pondicherry was facing a 25 per cent cut in plan allocation if the uniform sales tax as decided by the Committee of all State Finance Ministers was not enforced in Pondicherry within seven days, Mr. Tirunavukarasu said as long as the DMK was in power in Pondicherry, it had successfully opposed the Centre`s attempt to enforce this `most injurious taxation system'.

He claimed that there was no sparing of any efforts by the previous DMK government in opposing the uniform floor rate of taxes.

Mr. Tirunavukarasu said the present stand of the Centre was strongly opposed by the DMK and he wanted to make this clear without doubt to the Central administration.

He said he did not know what the present Congress(I)-led coalition ministry was doing particularly after the announcement of 25 per cent cut in plan allocation if there should be no adoption of the uniform pattern of sales tax. Even when the Chief Minister was very much present in New Delhi, he had not attended the meeting relating to uniform sales tax. This had been revealed by media reports. Mr. Shanmugham should have spoken strongly against the uniform pattern of sales tax.

Mr. Tirunavukarasu said the Chief Minister's absence at the Delhi meeting of the Committee of Finance Ministers of all States only brought to the fore the fact that the present government was not bothering about the Union Territory`s future.

It is also paradoxical that Mr. Shanmugham who happened to be the chairman of the anti-uniform sales tax agitation committee here had not taken care to be present at the Delhi meeting.

Mr. Tirunavukarasu wanted to know if Mr. Shanmugham would tender his resignation and agitate for the welfare of the people of the Union Territory as the uniform sales tax was not congenial for the tiny Union Territory.

The firm announcement of 25 per cent cut in plan allocation in case Pondicherry did not concede the uniform sales tax pattern should be resisted by Congress(I) workers also, he felt. Mr. Tirunavukarasu said the DMK would on its part revive its anti- uniform sales tax agitation very soon.

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