Bathinda May 02:
Punjab
farmer organizations vehemently opposing the wealth tax on farmers till
few days ago have now demanded the levying of wealth tax and income tax
on farmers having more than 17 and half acres of land.
"Many
influential farmers have usurped big chunks of land and have been
misusing the act since decades. It is time that government must levy
wealth tax and income tax on such farmers," said BKU Ugrahan general
secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri.
Welcoming
the move of not levying wealth tax on farmers, farmer leaders said the
government more than 20 years ago had suggested tax on lands owned by
farmers but never felt the need to scrap it. BKU president Joginder
Singh Ugrahan said though both Congress and SAD are claiming credit for
the scraping of wealth tax, it has been scrapped because of pressure put
up by farmers.