Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan accused the government of subverting the GST (Intelligence) department to arm-twist businesses into sponsoring the administration’s week-long Keraleeyam gala.
Mr. Satheesan alleged the government had tasked a team headed by the GST Additional Commissioner (Intelligence) to extort money from tax dodgers. He accused the government of maladministration and corruption.
He said the tax administration had come to a standstill in Kerala. The government let tax evaders go scot-free if they funded the political executive and underwrote their public outreach programmes.
He identified bar hotels, mechanised stone quarries, and major jewellery chains as the biggest tax dodgers in the State. “The GST department has rarely conducted inspections or surprise raids”, Mr. Satheesan said.
Instead, GST officials, working as the CPI(M)’s stooges, extorted money from the businesses for political purposes. He termed Kerala a haven for tax dodgers.
