The BJP corporators on the civic law committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday staged a walkout soon after the civic administration and the ruling Shiv Sena failed to clarify its stand on home tax exemption. BJP corporators accused the BMC and Sena of manipulating the implementation of the authorized resolution on home tax exemption to Mumbaikars owning 500 square feet or smaller sized homes.
During the discussion in the Law Committee meeting held on Monday, the BJP corporators asked the administration to clarify its stand on providing home tax waiver to homes are 500 sq. ft or smaller sized. Corporator of Andheri Abhijit Samant, Corporator from Mumbadevi Atul Shah and Juhu corporator Anish Makwani stated that the administration need to implement this amnesty quickly.
Samant stated the BMC commissioner need to make a statement on the concern quickly. “We protested against this insensitivity shown towards Mumbaikar’s by the BMC and ruling Shiv Sena. We walked out after the Commissioner’s representative, Joint Commissioner Anand Waghralkar, failed to comment on the issue.”
The Shiv Sena in its 2017 civic polls manifesto had promised waiver of home tax for homes that are 500 sq. ft and smaller sized. The home tax exemption matter also invited protests from BJP and MNS party workers in Thane. Several public representatives in the Thane Municipal corporation developed a ruckus in the common body meeting in September 2020, reminding the ruling party of its guarantee in the pandemic.
BJP corporators in BMC have now joined the bandwagon of their counterparts in TMC. Samant stated, they will make sure the administration comes out with a clarification. “The BMC commissioner has to come out with a clarification and ensure the implementation of the property tax waiver to Mumbaikars.”