Income Tax notices to Durga Puja committees: Trinamool Congress begins dharna

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday began its eight-hour-long dharna in central Kolkata in protest against the central government’s decision to serve income tax notices to Durga Puja committees.

Criticising the Centre for issuing the notices to several Durga Puja committees here, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had on Sunday announced that ‘Banga Janani Brigade’ – the women’s wing of the party – would sit on a dharna at Subodh Mullick Square on Tuesday.

Noting that festivals should be exempt from levies, she had urged organisers, participants and all people “who love Bangla” to join the protest. The BJP had on Monday criticised the TMC’s decision to stage the demonstration, accusing a section of ruling TMC leaders of laundering money allegedly looted in chit fund scams through the puja committees. The TMC had termed the allegations as “baseless”.