AAP accuses BJP-led MCD of targeting doctors by imposing 'irrational taxes and fees'

Aam Aadmi Party’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj in a statement on Friday informed that BJP’s MCD has given a shocker on Doctor’s Day.

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj issued a statement on Friday. He informed that  BJP’s MCD has given a shocker on Doctor’s Day. Doctors will now have to pay an additional fee of Rs 24,000 annually for the removal of the garbage. Each doctor’s clinic will now have to pay Rs 30,000 annually to the MCD for garbage removal, an additional fee of Rs 24,000 has been introduced alongside the previous annual fee of Rs 6,000. After looting traders with manifold taxes and license fees, Doctors are on the  MCD’s target. BJP’s MCD has also introduced a Professional Tax to be levied on professionals like CAs, Architects, Doctors, etc. He further said that it is ridiculous and condemnable that the MCD has stooped down to loot people with irrational taxes and fees. AAP demands rollback of MCD’s irrational fees and taxes. A signature campaign was started by AAP yesterday to raise a voice against MCD’s condemnable harassment of traders.

AAP Chief Spokesperson and MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “Like we’ve told that BJP is counting its last days in the MCD, that they know that Delhi’s people will not elect BJP again in the MCD. Delhi Municipal Corporation has started to loot people. Be it property tax, that has been increased. Be it trade license, that has been increased manifolds. Every type of tax and license fee is being increased by the MCD.”

He said, “Today, I’ll tell you about a new tax that has been introduced. Under the name of the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, this tax has been introduced. A nasty present has been given to our doctors on the occasion of Doctor’s Day. Now our doctors will have to pay a sum of Rs. 24,000 annually to the MCD for the removal of their garbage. Now, you must be wondering what is the waste generated in a doctor’s clinical? Other than the mere dust on the floor, a very crucial waste that is generated is the bio-medical waste. However, it is surprising that the doctors are already made to pay Rs 500 per month to get this bio-medical waste removed. Moreover, there are two agencies in Delhi that pick up this bio-medical waste and process it in the right manner.”

AAP Chief Spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “Rs 500 per month implies that the doctors were already paying Rs 6,000 annually. And now, they’ll have to pay an additional sum of Rs 24,000. So from now onwards, each doctor will pay Rs 30,000 just because they have to get their waste picked up. I think this is very ridiculous and condemnable that the MCD has stooped down to loot people. A few days back I addressed another press conference wherein I informed that MCD has also introduced a new tax called Professional Tax. Under this tax, every professional, be it a Chartered Accountant, a doctor, an engineer, or an architect will have to pay a professional tax. So, continuously, they are not leaving behind any section. MCD is harassing people and using the exercise of arm twisting.”

Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “We seriously condemn these actions. Aam Aadmi Party started a campaign yesterday, wherein AAP’s councilors and workers are visiting all the markets in Delhi and undertaking a signature campaign by collecting the signatures of traders. The campaign is being conducted because all these taxes that have been rolled out by the MCD have increased the burden on the trader’s shoulders and the MCD must take them back.”

He said, “This tax, that I just told you about, the increase of fee of Rs 2,000 monthly i.e., Rs 24,000 annually under the name of Waste Management has been increased only by the East MCD as of now. However, this is how it works. Firstly, it is initiated by one Municipal Corporation and then others follow it quietly.”