BJP will face Karnataka polls with report card: BJP chief JP Nadda
Tumakuru (PTI): BJP national president J P Nadda on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created "politics of report card" in the country, and the party will face Karnataka polls, with a report card on its performance.
Congress' other name is "corruption, commission and casteism" and they should be made to sit at home, he said as he urged his party cadres to take the message of BJP's inclusive politics, and its belief in taking all sections of the society irrespective of religion, caste, gender together.
"When we go for election we will go with a report card, every single of our leaders, thumping their chests with pride, will say we had promised this and we have done it, we had not promised something, but still we have done it," Bommai said.
He called on party workers to tell people that neither former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa nor incumbent Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has left any stone unturned to take Karnataka ahead.
Nadda was addressing BJP's "Shakti Kendra" heads meeting of Tumakuru and Madhugiri Assembly segments here, as the party prepares for Assembly polls likely by April-May.
He said he has come to the meeting to meet the workers, who work at the ground level and take the message of the party and the government to the people. "I have decided to visit all parts of Karnataka and directly speak to karyakartas as we prepare for upcoming elections."
Further asking party workers to organise "tiffin meetings" at Shakti Kedras and booth-level to unify the society and ending casteism, Nadda said exchange food, send out a message of togetherness and party's ideology.
State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, party's national General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh, Ministers J C Madhuswamy, B C Nagesh, Araga Jnanendra among were present at the event.
Accusing the Congress party of votebank politics, dividing the people in the name of caste, creating regional divide, also indulging in casteism, dynasty and appeasement politics, the BJP president said from the time PM Modi took over, dynasty and caste politics has ended and with the mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', he is taking everyone ahead together.
From the time when Modi took over the responsibilities as the Prime Minister, he has changed the culture, conduct and the character of India's polity, he said, adding that "The political culture has totally changed."
Urging BJP karyakartas to strengthen the party's roots along with the agenda of development, Nadda said this has to be done to strengthen Karnataka, if the State has to be strengthened, the ideology of the BJP should be strengthened here.
Work towards creating an "able booth", he said, "our booth should not be weak, it should take all sections of the society together like religion, caste, age, gender. Unify everyone under BJP's symbol, and we have to work towards it. So give representation to all sections in your booth and shakti kendra, also ensure that Dalits are associated with the party, no caste should be left out."
Pointing out that several major economies like the US, China and Europe are in financial distress due to COVID and Ukraine war, the BJP president said, "Under Modi, India as a sound and stable economy, by maintaining stability it has overtaken Britain, which had once ruled us, to become fifth largest economy in the world."
Listing out various work and programmes of the BJP government in Karnataka, he also highlighted the decisions taken to meet the reservation demands by various communities.
Taking a dig at Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his Puppy' jibe at CM Bommai, Nadda said,
"I was pained because with such a statement, he has brought down the standard of Karnataka's politics. A leader is known by the statement he gives."
BJP respects its political opponents and under Modi it is strengthening cooperative federalism, he said, "They (Congress leaders) fight here, they don't get opportunity to meet their high command, today speak lightly about others."
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PIL in SC seeks abolition of TDS system, cites constitutional violations
New Delhi (PTI): A PIL filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday sought to scrap the TDS system calling it "arbitrary and irrational" and violative of various fundamental rights, including equality.
The PIL challenged the tax deducted at source or TDS framework under the Income Tax Act, which mandates the deduction of tax at the time of payment by the payer and its deposit with the income tax department. The deducted amount is adjusted against the payee's tax liability.
The plea filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay through advocate Ashwani Dubey, made the Centre, ministry of law and justice, law commission, and NITI Aayog as parties.
It sought a direction to "declare the TDS system manifestly arbitrary, irrational and against Articles 14 (right to equality), 19 (right to practice profession) and 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution, hence void and inoperative".
The plea further sought directions to the NITI Ayog to consider contentions raised in the plea and suggest necessary changes in TDS system.
It said the law commission should examine the legality of the TDS system and prepare a report within three months.
The TDS system imposes significant administrative and financial burdens on taxpayers tasked with compliance which include managing complex rules, issuing TDS certificates, filing returns, and defending against penalties for inadvertent errors, argued the plea.
Assessees often incur substantial expenses, ranging from salaries of compliance staff to professional fees for tax consultants, without receiving compensation, it said.
The plea said the system violated Article 14 (equality before the law) by disproportionately burdening economically weaker sections and small earners who lack the capacity to navigate its technical requirements.
Referring to Article 23, it said the imposition of tax collection duties on private citizens amounted to forced labour.
The TDS system was stated to adversely affect individuals below the taxable income threshold, as tax was deducted at source irrespective of their liability.
"The regulatory and procedural framework surrounding TDS is excessively technical, often requiring specialised legal and financial expertise, which most assessees lack. The result is an unjust shifting of sovereign responsibilities from the government to private citizens without adequate compensation, resources, or legal safeguards," it said.
