J-K: Congress protests against I-T action on party, slams BJP-led Centre

Srinagar: The Congress on Monday held a demonstration to protest the Income Tax department's actions against the party, saying the moves of the BJP-led Centre are against democratic norms.

The Income Tax department action comes ahead of the seven-phase general elections, which begin of April 19.

Imtiyaz Ahmad, the Congress' Jammu and Kashmir unit chief, told reporters, "The moves of the BJP government are against democratic norms. They are not freezing their own (BJP) accounts and are also not asking for any taxes. Only the opposition is being oppressed. The ED (Enforcement Directorate) raids are only against opposition leaders while not a single BJP leader has been raided."

Ahmad said the law of the land should be uniformly implemented and not selectively against opposition leaders.

"They (BJP) are misusing the authorities and the official machinery. We demand immediate restoration of the Congress' bank accounts in the interest of democracy," he added.

During the protest, Congress activists tried to march on the main road but were stopped by security personnel as the party had not been granted permission for holding the protest.

The Congress had on Sunday said it received fresh notices from the Income Tax department, raising a tax demand of Rs 1,745 crore for the assessment years 2014-15 to 2016-17.

With this latest notice, the Income Tax department has raised a total demand of Rs 3,567 crore from the party, it had said.

On Friday, the party had said it received notices from the department, asking it to pay around Rs 1,823 crore. The tax authorities have already withdrawn Rs 135 crore from the party's accounts for a tax demand relating to previous years.

The Income Tax department on Monday told the Supreme Court that it will not take any coercive action against the Congress over the tax demand notices in view of the Lok Sabha elections.