Food for Thought

Why shouldn’t tribal people pay income tax when others have to pay it through their noses? Since they are a backward class, they are exempted from paying income tax. But then, since there are distinct income tax slabs, only those who fall under such slabs have to pay income tax, not others. Why aren’t Scheduled Tribe people falling under their respective income tax slabs taxed? There are many, especially former and present ministers, contractors, suppliers and others among the Scheduled Tribes in the Northeast and elsewhere in India who are quite affluent. They do have billionaires among them. A section of them owns huge property, including landed property, luxurious cars, well-furnished buildings, including skyscrapers, and whatnot. Their affluence is quite visible in their standard of living. Their luxurious life and purchasing power simply baffle most of the people belonging to other categories. One finds mostly tribal people when one pays a visit to a mall in Guwahati. It seems that all costly items are theirs, while their counterparts in other categories have to be window shoppers as they cannot afford. The general public perception is that high rates of income tax burn a hole in their pockets. The income tax rates are high because of exemptions for a large section of people. The public in general, however, are ready to accept all genuine income tax exceptions for the poor, but not ready to accept such exemptions for highly affluent Scheduled Tribe people, that too, even after 70 years of independence of the country. Doesn’t it sound more reasonable to exempt only the poor from the burden of income tax, irrespective of their social categories?

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