The recent property tax hike in Tiruppur Municipal Corporation has led to a political tussle between AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Tamil Nadu Minister S. Nehru.Palaniswami’s Statement:
Palaniswami criticized the DMK government for imposing steep hikes on property tax, water tax, and garbage tax in Tiruppur, alleging that these burdens are unfairly placed on the public. He accused the DMK-led municipal corporation of increasing taxes annually and penalizing defaulters with additional charges, including GST on rental properties.
At a municipal council meeting in Tiruppur, AIADMK councilors demanded a resolution against the tax hike, which the DMK mayor allegedly refused to entertain. Palaniswami claimed that the DMK passed all resolutions undemocratically and prematurely ended the meeting. He condemned the government for using the police to suppress AIADMK councilors’ democratic protests and called for the immediate rollback of the tax hikes.
Minister Nehru’s Response:
Minister Nehru dismissed AIADMK’s protests as mere theatrics. He stated that the annual revision of property tax was mandated by the central government, a condition agreed to by Palaniswami during his tenure as Chief Minister. Nehru accused Palaniswami of pretending to care for the public while hiding his past acceptance of central government policies.
Nehru further warned that if Tamil Nadu does not revise property tax as required, the state risks losing Rs. 4.36 lakh crore in central grants under schemes like Swachh Bharat and AMRUT 2.0 for the period of 2021-26. He also blamed the previous AIADMK government for corruption and mismanagement, leaving local bodies in financial ruin.
The issue has reignited a political blame game, with both parties accusing each other of failing to protect public interests.