Srinagar, Residents of Srinagar, in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, have taken to the streets in a protest organized by the Congress party to voice their opposition against the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s policies, particularly criticizing the practice dubbed as “Tax Terrorism.”

According to Kashmir Media Service, the demonstration saw Congress IIOJK General Secretaries Waseem Ahmad Shalla and Irfan Naqashbandi, alongside DCC Srinagar President Imtiyaz Khan, leading a congregation of party leaders and members from affiliated organizations. They condemned the BJP’s use of the Income Tax Department as a tool for what they claim to be politically motivated actions against opposition parties.

The protesters accused the ruling party of resorting to vendetta politics, targeting Congress and its allies through the IT department in a bid to suppress dissent and maintain its grip on power. The Congress leadership in the region argued that these actions are indicative of the BJP’s fear of losing electoral support and its attempt to intimidate the opposition through coercive measures.

The BJP’s employment of various agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate alongside the IT department, was highlighted as a strategy to undermine the opposition’s efforts to challenge its policies. Congress leaders, speaking amidst the protest, criticized the creation of a hostile political atmosphere, asserting that attempts to freeze accounts and impose heavy taxes would not deter their resolve to oppose the BJP’s governance.

The demonstration in Srinagar reflects growing discontent with the central government’s policies and its implications for political freedom and economic justice in the region. Congress leaders vowed to continue their fight against what they perceive as unjust practices by the BJP, signaling a deepening political divide and the resilience of opposition in the face of adversity.