"This will be a year of agitation," DK Shivakumar said amid the protests
Congress leaders and workers staged a protest in Karnataka capital Bengaluru today against hikes in taxes and rate charges by the city's civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). They walked from the Mysuru Bank Circle to the corporation's headquarters in the city. The police prevented all but a few representatives from entering the BBMP headquarters.
Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar told NDTV that how can people pay taxes if they don't have business. "This will be a year of agitation," he added.
"The entire state is suffering without any business. Lockdown, sealdown, breakdown, everything has happened. They have increased the plan sanction, they have increased the taxes. When there is no business, how can people pay taxes? We are protesting against the government. This year will be a year of agitation. We will take up all the local issues and agitate before the authorities," he added.
Former state home minister Ramalinga Reddy also compared the city to Hyderabad saying that there was 50 per cent tax concession for people in the neighbouring city.
"In Hyderabad they have given concession - 50% in tax - because of coronavirus. We are asking for that," he said.
He also claimed that garbage disposal was not being done properly and bills were also not cleared for contractors.
"How can they work?" Mr Reddy asked adding that BBMP is asking for a 2 per cent road cess. "We are asking them not to implement that," he adds.
"For sanctioning plans they have increased the cost by three times," Mr Reddy alleges.
He also said the city is full of potholes and the civic body is not doing proper work.
"Toilets are not in good condition. We are asking for compensation for those who died due to coronavirus," he says.