Vijayawada: Citizens Federation to launch direct action over property tax hike

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Urban Citizens Federation demanded the State government to immediately withdraw the decision of enhancing the property tax and enhanced garbage tax in view of the financial crisis people are facing at the time of pandemic Covid-19.

Convener of APUCF Ch Babu Rao warned that the agitation would be intensified throughout the State by coordinating with various associations, societies and organisations if the government did not take any action in this respect. He exhorted all to get ready for a prolonged agitation irrespective of the party affiliations.

The leaders of the APUCF met online on Saturday to take the decision in this regard.

Addressing the media at Makineni Basava Punnaiah Vignana Kendram here on Sunday, Babu Rao said that the members of the APUCF would take out Praja Chaitanya Yatras from July 5 to 11 and conduct people's ballots till July 15 throughout the State.

If the government does not respond even after that, they will stage protest, he said.

Babu Rao said that it was gross unjust to levy additional burden in the name of taxes on 1.5 crore people who live in cities and towns at a time everyone is facing financial crisis.

He said that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy denounced the heavy taxes when he was in opposition and acting otherwise once got into power. In fact, it was urban people who were affected by Coronavirus and now they would be the hard hit with taxation.

He held the Central government also responsible for the burden on people with taxation. He demanded the chief minister and the municipal minister to open up and talk on the issue.