Southern States - Pondicherry

Narayanasamy blames DMK for UST implementation

By Our Staff Reporter

Pondicherry June 17. The president of the Pondicherry unit of the Congress, V. Narayanasamy, today held the DMK responsible for the implementation of the uniform sales tax in Pondicherry, affecting the State's revenue-base.

Addressing reporters, Mr. Narayanasamy charged the DMK leader, R. V. Janakiraman, with indulging in doubletalk on the issue. During his tenure as the Chief Minister, Mr. Janakiraman had implicitly adhered to the uniform floor rate of tax conceived by the Centre and implemented the same in the Union Territory. Mr. Janakiraman did so merely to please his mentor M. Karunanidhi, who was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu then. The enforcement of the central sales tax by the Union Government was another step that had hit the business community.

The Congress leader also criticised the Tamil Nadu Government for levying entry tax on goods moving out of Pondicherry.

The Chief Minister, N. Rangasamy, had already taken up with the Union Home and Finance Ministers about the new taxation measures and its impact on Pondicherry economy, Mr. Narayanasamy said and hoped that there would be some positive development to save the `sagging' economy of the Union Territory.

Describing as `amusing' the announcement by Mr. Janakiraman that the DMK would extend support to the Congress if the latter came out with any agitation plan against the UST or the CST, the Congress leader said Mr. Janakiraman had bartered away the Union Territory's economy by conceding the UST.

The DMK could have sought the intervention of Murasoli Maran, the Industries and Commerce Minister, to prevent the imposition of the UST and abolish the entry tax being levied by the Tamil Nadu Government.

Mr. Janakiraman, rejecting the allegations against him, told newsmen today that if there was even a semblance of proof that it was only during his tenure as the chief minister did Pondicherry witness the uniform sales tax he was prepared to quit the pubic life.

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