'Not paying tax is denying benefits to poor': Assam CM Himanta attacks Congress

Guwahati: Not paying tax to the government is denying benefits to the poor, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday, attacking the Congress.

Sarma was reacting to the Congress stating that it has received fresh notices from the I-T Department, asking it to pay Rs 1,823.08 crore.

'If the Congress is not paying the tax then this means that they are against welfare activities. They are against the poor, against the downtrodden,' he said.

'The money collected as tax goes to the hospitals, schools and colleges, and so the government needs tax. Tax is not terror and the two are two different words,' he added.

The Congress also accused the ruling BJP of indulging in 'tax terrorism' to financially cripple the opposition party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

'Tax money is a benevolent thing because this goes for public welfare. The notice to Congress is, therefore, not tax terrorism but it is tax compliance,' Sarma said.

Referring to the Congress demonstrations against tax notices, he said the party stages protests every day.

'I suggest that they go and campaign for elections instead of protesting every day,' he added.