The BRS has strongly opposed the suggestions of Vivek Debroy, chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, on imposing income tax on farmers. The party suspected that the views expressed by Vivek Debroy were nothing but “Mann ki Baat” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and made that demand that any such proposals should be immediately withdrawn.
In an article published in an English daily, Vivek Debroy stated that tax was levied on farmers in some princely states of erstwhile India, and similar proposals were made during the British regime. Rythu Bandhu Samithi chairman and MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy told reporters at the BRS Legislative Party office here on Wednesday that the suggestions made in the article were unprecedented in independent India.
He emphasized that agriculture remains a major occupation for a large portion of India’s population.
“Rather than implementing their poll promises to double farmers’ income and also to give social security pensions to farmers aged above 60 years, the BJP government at the Centre is trying to loot farmers who are struggling to earn a respectable income,” he said, noting that farm investment had already doubled under the BJP regime and that levying income tax on farmers was detrimental in these circumstances.
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Rajeshwar Reddy also found fault with Debroy for saying that levying income tax on farmers was within the purview of the States. He said that Debroy’s job was to advise the Prime Minister, but not the States.
He demanded that Modi remove Debroy from the position, failing which it would be assumed that the suggestions were made with the approval of the Prime Minister himself.
MLC Yegge Mallesham, Kasireddy Narayan Reddy and others also spoke, saying that farmers would revolt if the Centre imposed income tax on them.
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