Shopkeepers
protest; allege harassment by STD
Jammu: Shopkeepers of Kankmandi staged protest at busy City
Chowk and halted four way traffic movements for hours together. They were
shouting slogans against the alleged harassment committed upon them by sleuths
of Sales Tax Department (STD). Shopkeepers narrated that a team of officials
reached in the busy shopping area of Kankmandi and seized goods from some shop
keepers on the pretext of having no bills of the goods in possession.
President, Raughnath Bazar Businessmen Association, Surinder
Mahajan expressed discontent over the act and said that on one hand government
is leaving no stone unturned to maintain peace on the eve of Independence Day
and on the other sales tax department shows hurry in conducting raids on
shopkeepers to develop anger among them. Officers should have informed
shopkeepers and should have given time till Monday. Commenting about the
episode, Mahajan informed that few leaders got involved and return of goods was
made possible on the spot.
“Laws and rules pertaining to sales tax and VAT are so
complicated that an ordinary shopkeeper can not understand these. So it becomes
mandatory for the officials to give time to the shopkeepers so that they could
rectify errors, if any” former President Small Scale Industries, Anil Suri said
and added that no business man wants to cheat the department but some times
errors occur in innocence. He added that relation between business communities
to sales and commercial taxes is a long term one, so it is imperative for both
to work in coordination.
When contacted Commissioner Sales Tax Department, informed
that he has received reports about raids conducted by the officials of the
department and protest by shopkeepers in response. He also said that he was
trying to get detailed report of developments prior to comment. Meanwhile,
efforts were made to contact Assistant Commissioners on 2473342, 2477934
several times but no contact was possible till filing this report. (CHAMAN KAUL)