The chief minister Mamata Banerjee on her Twitter handle has posted that income tax department has issued notices to many Durga Puja organising committees to pay taxes. “We are proud of our national festival. This festival asks for all and we do not want any Puja festival to be taxed. This will be a burden on the organisers.”

“My state government has withdrawn the tax which was earlier there on Ganga Sagar Mela. We protest and demand no taxation on Durga Puja and the Puja committees,” she said.

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Banerjee instructed her Banga Janani Bahini to sit on a dharna at Subodh Mullick square on 13 August from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. She also appealed to the puja organisers, participants and people from all walks of life to join this.

It was learnt that if the income tax department does not withdraw this, TMC will launch a greater movement.

TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee also condemned the Centre’s move to impose income tax on Puja organisers and said that the party which was trying to promote Durga Puja before election are now imposing income tax Durga Puja organisers.