HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Nov 23: Minister Pijush Hazarika has challenged Congress leader Bhupen Borah to a debate concerning the taxation on Bihu functions. The challenge comes in the midst of an ongoing dispute between the two political factions over the financial implications on cultural events.
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Hazarika’s call for a discussion is in response to the controversy surrounding the taxation of Bihu functions. He stated, “As per the government order, people have to give Rs 300 to the government, and we are already giving Rs 1.5 lakh to the organising committee… Rs 25,000 to every Raas festival committee… Rs 10,000 for every Durga Puja committee… the tax levied will benefit the police department, not the government if this is a concern for the opposition, then we have nothing to do.”
Hazarika further claimed that the tax collected from these functions would be around Rs 10-15 lakh, which is negligible for the state government in terms of tax collection. He invited Bhupen Borah to a debate and urged him to confirm whether similar rules apply in Congress-ruled states.
The BJP leader also criticised Bhupen Borah for losing three consecutive state elections and claimed that the Congress leader is on a losing streak for the fourth time. The debate could shed light on the differing perspectives on taxation policies for cultural events in the state.
