Echo of MCC’s Property Tax Banner Campaign: City businessmen cry foul; allege harassment

Mysore/Mysuru: The Federation of Organisations and Associations of Mysuru has launched a tirade against the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) for carrying out a ‘banner campaign’ to name and shame Property Tax defaulters by putting up boards.

With the campaign, the civic body is trying to recover pending taxes from the residents and business establishments. As part of the banner campaign, banners are put before the defaulting houses or establishments along with the name of the defaulting owner, company or establishment, period of tax default and the action to be taken as per Municipal laws.

‘Jinxed destination’

However, this move has been criticised by the businessmen who have alleged that the civic body was targeting and harassing them to cover its own faults. Addressing a press conference at Pathrakarthara Bhavan in the city this morning, members and office-bearers of the Federation of Organisations and Associations of Mysuru said that because of the ‘unfair’ tax structure in Mysuru, the city has become an unfavourable and a ‘jinxed destination’ for businessmen.

The Federation has 75 members and they alleged that the MCC was harassing each businessman. Members claimed that taxes have remained unpaid since the last one year as the Federation has demanded tax relief from the Government that has been extended to all the sectors. “The MCC is wrongly claiming that taxes have not been paid since the last 10 years. The fact remains that only one year’s taxes are pending,” said Federation President B.S. Prashanth.

“Businessmen, Choultry owners and hoteliers are being projected as villains and thieves by the MCC and we have the receipts of taxes that were paid till last year. The MCC officers are resorting to goondaism at a time when the businessmen are in financial distress. We have cooperated with the MCC in all its initiatives and this is the way the MCC is treating us. Even we can hold banners in front of MCC Offices highlighting the failures of MCC regarding the city’s pathetic basic infrastructure and dirt-filled environs,” Federation President Prashanth said.

16 cess, 48 processes

Mysuru Hotel Owners’ Association President C. Narayanagowda said that Mysuru city has an unfair tax structure when compared to other cities like Bengaluru. The MCC has disconnected power supply to three hotels for not paying Property Tax for just one year where we all faced COVID. This harassment must stop. We pay Rs. 75 crore as GST,” he noted.

Gayathri Theatre owner M.R. Rajaram, who is also the Karnataka Film Exhibitors Federation Vice-President said that there were 16 types of unique cess in Mysuru and any business has to go through 48 processes before getting approval. “These processes are not seen in other cities and have been brought in by the MCC intentionally. If this is not harassment then what is,” he questioned.

Honorary President of Federation of Mysuru Petroleum Traders S.K. Dinesh and Mysuru Choultry Owners Association President Sathyanarayana also detailed about the harassment meted out to the business community. “This is the pandemic time when all must cooperate and understand each other. Instead, MCC is defaming the business community by resorting to unfair practices,” they added.