Income tax notice driven by ’political bosses’ :Kejriwal

Mtoday news / NDTV

New Delhi, September 2:  Dogged by the demons of their past with the government, activists close to Anna Hazare say they’re being persecuted for taking a tough stand on corruption.

Arvind Kejriwal says a notice that orders him to urgently pay nine lakhs in taxes is actually the order of "political bosses." Prashant Bhushan says a CD described this week by the Delhi Police as genuine is an attempt to discredit his father, Shanti Bhushan, and him. The CD contains a conversation where Shanti Bhushan offers to influence a judge for a favourable verdict. And Kiran Bedi has received a breach of privilege notice for her public remarks against MPs at Anna’s protest camp at Ram Lila Maidan.

At a rally in his village of Ralegan Siddhi today, Anna, who drew his customary standing-room-only crowd, warned, "We will have to think of a different course of action if the government continues to engage in such things."

That’s likely to make the working relationship between Team Anna and the government an awkward one. A parliamentary committee has to consult regularly with the activists to draw up a bill that creates a new anti-corruption agency - the Lokpal.

 

 

The mistrust between the two sides comes after months of public acrimony. Team Anna has said the government is bent on delivering a Lokpal without any real power. The government says Anna and his aides are rigid and believe they can hijack parliamentary procedures and democracy.

Mr Kejriwal received his reminder for nine lakhs worth of taxes a week before Anna began his 12-day hunger fast in Delhi, which became a rallying point for a public tired of confronting graft.  He says the timing proves this was a case of political vendetta.

Mr Kejriwal was with the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) when he was granted study leave for two years in 2000. He was paid for this period; in exchange, he had to commit to at least three years with the IRS after his study leave ended. After a short stint back at work, Mr Kejriwal proceeded again on leave, this time for his significant work in helping push the Right to Information Act. He says that because this act was a major part of the government’s agenda, his absence from work should not be construed as time off. In 2006, he resigned from the IRS.  He’s been asked to repay the salary that was given to him during his study leave, with interest - that amounts to about seven lakhs. He’s also been asked to repay a computer loan with interest, adding on another two lakhs. "I went on study leave from 1st November, 2000, upto 31st October 2002. I joined back on 1st November, 2002. The three years got over on 31st October, 2005. I resigned in February, 2006. So, it is clear that I have not violated any bond condition," Mr Kejriwal said in a statement.

There are those who argue that the Income Tax department is simply doing its job. "It’s unfair to say that there’s any motive," said Law Minister Salman Khurshid, who has shared some close encounters with Mr Kejriwal during negotiations over the Lokpal Bill. "It’s routine behaviour. Like we all have to pay electricity bills. It shouldn’t be built up into the government vs anyone."

Justice Santosh Hegde, who is also a close associate of Anna’s, said it’s not the process that’s the problem - it’s the timing that’s suspect. "As far as Arvind Kejriwal is concerned, I don’t know what’s happening. This government seems to be doing all wrong things at the wrong time. They could have done it much earlier than this or they could have done it a little later. Now when Arvind Kejriwal is in news for other reasons, you jump into the thing and you slap a notice at him. I have told him, it’s a 5-year-old case, they could have done it much earlier," Mr Hegde said.