JOIN USThe government’s response to the suggestions made by a group of 50 Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers on ways to cope with the economic impact of the fight against the coronavirus and to raise resources for a recovery was unduly harsh and excessive. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has charge-sheeted three senior officers for "misguiding" the young officers who prepared a report that called for a hike in taxes to fund the recovery plan and for “unauthorisedly’’ making it public. The report, named FORCE (Fiscal Options & Response to the Covid-19 Epidemic), had called for an increase in tax rates and imposition of wealth tax, inheritance tax and a Covid-19 surcharge. The CBDT is said to have found that the senior officers, who included two office-bearers of the IRS Association, got the juniors to prepare the report and then had it released through the association’s twitter account without taking permission from the government.
There may technically be a violation of conduct rules and service conditions involved in the officers’ action. But the government’s reaction showed that it was too prickly and sensitive about it. The officers’ intentions were good, and they only wanted to give some suggestions about how the country can cope with the emerging situation. They wanted the government to consider them, and the government could have benefitted from a public discussion on them. Governments sometimes undertake such exercises to test the mood of the public or to find out people’s responses to certain decisions or policies. The government has itself sought suggestions and proposals from the people on various matters. When 50 specialists made a collective effort to aid the national response to the pandemic, the government need not have come down on them with such a heavy hand.
It should be noted that the officers did not criticise any policies and decisions of the government. Indeed, this very government has toyed with similar tax proposals in the past and some had even to be rolled back from previous budgets. The Income Tax Department has said that the report did not represent the views of the government. It could simply have stated that and left the matter at that. If it was not pleased with the presentation of the proposals in the public realm it could have stated that too. There is an unprecedented situation facing the country and all ideas may be debated in formulating the right response to it. An act done in good faith and out of concern for the country should not have been met with such disproportionately harsh response.