New Delhi: The BJP on Sunday termed imposition of 12 per cent service tax as a cruel joke on the common man and said it will further lead to "unprecedented price rise".

"By imposing 12 per cent service tax, the government has broken the back of the common man. Imposition of service tax is a cruel joke. The government has put an extra burden of whopping Rs 45,000 crore on the ordinary people," said Vijay Kumar Malhotra, BJP`s leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly.
He said everything from railway fare to air travel, eating out, going on a holiday, insurance policy, electricity, cheque, draft, cement, branded garments, gold, tents for marriages and other celebrations would now cost more. Malhotra, who is also the chairman of the BJP`s election campaign committee for the upcoming MCD elections, said it would lead to unprecedented price rise and alleged that the government was depriving the common man of a decent living.
"Already the prices of vegetables, fruits and other household goods has jumped many folds, leaving the lower and middle class families bewildered and shocked. They are finding it hard to make both ends meet," Malhotra said. The BJP leader alleged that the "ineffective" government has totally failed to check the price rise.
He appealed to the voters to teach a lesson to Congress by rejecting it in the MCD elections.
PTI