Tax on Hindu Pilgrimage never makes news !

I ended up on this blog post New Jijiya Tax on Hindus about this tax and then googled my way to the article below.

From Hinduism Today :

NEW DELHI, INDIA, May 30, 2005: Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists today took to streets here against the Jammu and Kashmir state government's decision to impose registration tax on the Amarnath pilgrims. The annual pilgrimage is due to begin in three weeks. Jammu and Kashmir government has recently decided to impose registration tax on the pilgrims. Last year, around 300,000 devotees went on the pilgrimage. Activists, also joined by Bajrang Dal members, shouting slogans against the state Chief Minister, condemned him for slapping the tax, which they say was in stark contrast to the kind of subsidies being granted to Muslims during their annual Haj pilgrimage. (HPI adds: The Indian government subsidizes the airfare of Muslims traveling to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the Haj.)

From Tribune India (June 2005)

Entry tax on langar goods: Shiv Sena to defy order
M.L. Kak

Jammu, June 6
Activists of the Shiv Sena from Delhi, Punjab and Haryana have decided to come in trucks loaded with foodgrain, ghee and other items required for setting up langars for Amarnath pilgrims, without paying entry tax at the Lakhanpur barrier.

According to Mr V.K. Aggarwal, president of the Shiv Shakti Seva Dal, “We have decided to defy the government order on entry tax for the items being carried by trucks for langars and our activists atop the trucks will not pay any tax at Lakhanpur on June 10.”

The government decision to impose entry tax for trucks carrying items for langars has been criticised by the BJP, the VHP and other organisations. Vice-president of the state unit of the BJP, Prof Hari Om, said here today, “On the one hand air travel has been subsidised for pilgrims of one community and on the other entry tax is being imposed on items meant for langars for Amarnath pilgrims.”

Mr Aggarwal said the government order provided for levying Rs 650 per 4-tonne truck and Rs 1,400 to Rs 1,500 per 9-tonne truck carrying items for langars. He said it was a “big punishment for philanthrophists from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan who spend money on free langars for the pilgrims.”

He said on an average 300 langars were established right from Jammu to the cave and for each langar 10 truckloads of food items were required.

Mr Aggarwal said small langars were being set up at Posh Patri, Pisu Top, Sheshnag and big langars at Chenani on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, Pahalgam, Panchtarni and Baltal. He wanted the Governor and the Chief Minister to intervene and waive entry tax for trucks carrying food material for the langars.