Opposition parties trained their guns on the CPI(M) after the Income Tax Department issued notices to two CPI(M) ministers for allegedly evading tax. Three MLAs of the ruling party too received notices on similar grounds and have been advised to appear at the Income Tax office in Guwahati.
The CPI(M) on Wednesday confirmed that five of its MLAs, including two ministers — Naresh Jamatia and Bijita Nath — received the notice. A senior party member, however, played down the matter, saying the episode has been a “simple tax-related issue”. He said tribal legislators too received notices though “they are exempted from tax”. One MLA has already appeared before IT officers, sources said. Others were reportedly making arrangements to comply with the directive.
Opposition Congress, BJP and Trinamool Congress leaders said the ‘poor CPI(M)’ had its platter full in revealing “many things” about alleged disproportionate earnings of its leaders.
