Postthe income tax (I-T) raids against some arhityas in the state, the DistrictArhtiya Association has announced to halt the working at grain markets here.Around 79 grain markets in Jalandhar will remain closed for the next four days.
HarnamSingh, district senior vice president of Punjab Arthiya Association said,following the call by the ‘Federation of Arthiyas Punjab’ the grain marketswould be closed from Tuesday to Friday to express resentment against the raids.
WhileChief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday had criticized the Centre forits intimidatory tactics against arthiyas supporting the agitating farmers, andwarned that such draconian measures will further aggravate the anger of thepeople against the BJP-led Central Government, the commission agents here,stated that the IT raids were not only unjustified but were also an insult onthe fair income of the arthiyas across the state.
“Donot label us as “bicholiye” or middlemen; we are the service providers to thefarmers and the government. How can the Income-tax department even considerlaunching a raid on us when all our transactions are made online on government accounts?After putting TDS, we get only 2.5 per cent commission, hence making all thetransactions transparent. Therefore, the IT raids were completely unfair.
“Thegovernment is only trying to pressurize us to no to lend their support to thefarmers in their ongoing protest” added Haraman Singh.
Around16 arthiyas were served notices by the I-T department and raids were carriedout on six arthiyas who have state-level designations in the arthiya unions.They demanded that the Income Tax officials must immediately return all thedocuments and books of Arhtiyas.