Baharampur MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury lashes out at CBDT over taxes on Durga Puja
New Delhi : Baharampur MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday hit out at the Income Tax department over its clarification on notices given to Durga Puja Committees stating that it is giving birth to “tax terrorism”.
“Income Tax department is questioning the functioning of Durga Puja Committees and asking them to file tax returns. They are creating a scenario to make it seem like these committees are using black money. Income Tax officials are becoming tax terrorists, who are giving birth to tax terrorism,” Chowdhury said here at the Congress party office.
Mr. Adhir Ranjan said that it is the people of West Bengal who donate their hard-earned money for setting up pandals and for the puja. “The culture of giving money for the puja is not new. It is a very old tradition in Kolkata,” he said.
Meanwhile, protesting against the Centre for issuing income tax notices to several Durga Puja Committees in the city, the Trinamool Congress said that festivals should be exempt from tax. Claiming that there is something fishy about the Income Tax department’s stand on Durga puja, the Congress lawmaker said: “If anyone from the political parties attends, donates or celebrates this festival then it is wrong to attach Durga puja with any political party.”
