“We have received the income tax returns for using the old PAN card,” CPI leader D Raja said.
New Delhi:
The Communist Party of India (CPI) has some time ago received a notice from the Income Tax Department regarding some discrepancies arising out of use of old PAN cards by some state units of the Communist Party of India, CPI General Secretary said, D Raja.
“We have received the income tax returns for using the old PAN card,” CPI leader D Raja told ANI.
When asked whether the party has received any communication from IT regarding any amount, Mr. Raja clarified and said, “They have not received any communication from IT regarding money.”
The development comes at a time when the Income Tax Department has sent a notice of around Rs 1,700 crore to the Congress, sources said. They said the new notice applies to assessment years 2017-18 to 2020-21 and includes penalties and interest.
The Delhi High Court had earlier this week dismissed the party’s plea challenging the Income Tax Department’s order to initiate reassessment proceedings against the party for the years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 .
The Congress will stage a nationwide protest on Saturday against notices issued by the Income Tax Department, asking it to pay Rs 1,823 crore.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal has directed all state units to organize demonstrations at PCC headquarters and district Congress committee tomorrow.
“Eight years of INC income tax returns have been reopened on baseless, fabricated grounds to impose patently illegal income tax claims totaling thousands of crores of rupees. This is nothing but a blatant and naked attack on the principles of democracy,” Mr Venugopal said in a letter to party workers on Friday.
“Now, in a blatantly illegal and undemocratic move, the Income Tax Department has launched its next premeditated, diabolical campaign against the INC. Eight years of INC income tax returns have been reopened on baseless, fabricated grounds to levy blatantly illegal income taxes. Claim orders worth thousands of crores of rupees in total. This is nothing but a blatant and naked attack on the principles of democracy,” he said in a letter.
“In view of this blatant attack on democracy and imposition of fiscal terrorism on our party amid the crucial Lok Sabha elections, all Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) are requested to hold massive public demonstrations at the state and district headquarters tomorrow in their respective states. and the next day, major protest demonstrations will be held in all constituencies, led by our party candidates. Protest demonstrations, including Mashal Juloos, will be held in all districts by the district Congress committees,” he added. .
Earlier, the Congress accused the Income Tax department of double standards and alleged that even though it was punished for “an offense of Rs 14 lakh”, the income tax authorities were completely silent on the “offence of Rs 42 crore” by the BJP and that the violations by the ruling party at the Center incurred a fine of Rs 4,600 crore.
Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Ajay Maken said at a press conference that there was an attempt to suppress the party financially during the Lok Sabha polls.
Mr Maken said the Electoral Commission must ensure a level playing field.
“We have received notices from the time of Sitaram Kesari, from 1993-94… We have been demanded to pay Rs 53 crores from the time of Sitaram Kesari. A total of Rs 1823 crores has been paid by the IT department of Congress,” he said.
“We have analyzed all the violations committed by the BJP using the same parameters they used to analyze our violations…BJP has been fined Rs 4,600 crore. The income tax department should submit a request to the BJP for payment of this amount,” he added.
Mr. Maken said efforts are being made to weaken the Congress financially by freezing the party’s bank account before the Lok Sabha elections.
Recently, the Delhi High Court upheld the order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) refusing to uphold the income tax returns for recovery of over Rs 105 crore as outstanding tax against the Congress. While the Court upheld the ITAT order, it granted liberty to the petitioner’s Congress party to move the complaint again before the appellate court.
Congress recently approached the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) against the recovery and filed a complaint seeking stay against the Income Tax Department’s proceedings regarding recovery and “freezing” of their bank accounts.
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