AIPC members held while protesting against South MCD’s proposal to levy ‘professionals’ tax’, released later

All India Professionals’ Congress (AIPC) Policy Coordinator and President of AIPC New Delhi chapter Amitabh Dubey, AIPC New Delhi Fellows Sharique Firdousi and Bikram were detained by the police along with some other DPCC leaders on Friday while they had gathered for a peaceful protest against the South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s recently-announced ‘professionals' tax’.

They were carried to the police station in a bus where obviously adequate social distancing couldn't be observed.

On Monday, the South MCD passed a proposal that will oblige self-employed professionals such as doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants and architects, those employed by private firms in South Delhi, and those with office spaces that fall under its jurisdiction, to pay ‘professional tax’.

The tax would also be charged from companies registered in the jurisdiction of South MCD, said a spokesperson. In case of those working in private firms, the office will deduct pay from salary of employees. The MCD will earn Rs 150 crore a year from the proposal.

As per the proposal those earning less than Rs 50,000 a month will not be charged anything; those earning Rs 50,001-Rs 75,000 will be charged Rs 100 per month; those earning Rs 75,001-Rs 1 lakh per month will have to pay Rs 150; and those earning above Rs 1 lakh will be charged Rs 200 a month.

The AIPC’s official Twitter handle posted:

We condemn the use the force to detain our colleagues. We oppose this professionals’ tax unequivocally. Now is a time to help our nation’s professionals not further burden them.

AICC Secretary in-charge of communications Pranav Jha tweeted:

After they were released by the police, Amitabh Dubey posted a video on Twitter:

“We are here to protest the South DMC’s unjust and unfair imposition of ‘professionals’ tax. We have just been released from the police station where we were detained for exercising our legitimate right to protest peacefully without any explanation by the police and our details were taken down,” he said.

“This is no way to run a democracy. Professionals being subjected to this tax are already reeling under the bad economy, the pandemic and four to five taxes already being paid by them. Instead of doing what other countries have done and reduced the taxes, this govt, all the way from Mr Narendra Modi down to South DMC have reiased taxes and failed to support the middle class. We are very angry about this professionals’ tax and urge professionals to protest against this unfair and unjust imposition,” he added.