Protesting against the government's decision to drastically increase building permit fees and taxes, the UDF-ruled local bodies have taken the stand that they will only charge the lowest rates. Legally this decision may be void. However, this is a position that the people will wholeheartedly support because the various fee rate hikes brought by the government concerning building construction are causing that much hardship to them. It is the party's decision that only minimum building tax should be collected in the local bodies governed by Congress. Other constituents of UDF have been requested to take the same stand and they are also in favor. In Choornikkara panchayat of Ernakulam district, where Congress has a majority, the leadership has already defied the government and started charging low rates. Last day, Departmental Minister MB Rajesh had stated that the increased permit fee and building tax will not be withdrawn. In this situation, the Congress leadership is seriously considering whether the Choornikkara model can be implemented in other panchayats and municipalities under their control.

Naturally, the government will come forward with measures to counter this. A situation where such a legal problem will have to be resolved through court is also possible. There is only one corporation in the state ruled by the Congress. Congress is dominant in only 23 out of 87 municipalities. Out of 941 Panchayats, 237 are under Congress rule. It remains to be seen how many of these will go on a tax denial strike against the government's decision. Although perhaps not much has come of it, this new campaign that the opposition intends to take up has the potential to attract people. There is a general perception that the government's increase in building permit fees and tax rates is unjustifiably high.

Not many people would applaud the department minister's comment that the state still charges the lowest building tax in the country, even after the increase. The justification is that the fee rates were increased to increase the own income of Panchayats and Municipal Corporations. The local bodies receive almost twenty-eight percent of the public budget, but how many of them have a history of fully spending their share? Even when the month of March comes around, they run around without being able to spend their share. How many Panchayats and Municipal Corporations are there that show efficiency in tax collection? The direction of the government to juice the people more and increase the local body income comes when failures like this are standing high like a mountain.

Unfair tax hikes have sparked public outrage not only here, but everywhere in the world. The tax denial movement has a long history. If Congress and other constituent parties intend a serious struggle on the building tax issue, it will certainly help to increase people's support for them. It will also be a challenge for the government.