Budget 2013: Now On-lookers of Road Rage fights to be charged and taxed for Entertainment

  

Be ready to shell out those extra bucks for watching that daily nautanki while going to office. In a desperate attempt to reduce the Fiscal deficit of India, Finance Minister P.Chidambram took the un-popular decision of charging on lookers of a road rage fights. These fights which are now ubiquitous in every major city would also come under the purview of Entertainment tax levied at 25% on top of the total amount. The Finance minister said that this would help us generate around 4000 crore in form of direct revenue and 1000 crore in form of taxes that would be levied on it. However, this project would require an initial investment of 500cr for installing CCTV camera for tracking places which are susceptible to such fights.

“We have taken this decision on the recommendation made by FICCI and ASSOCHAM. As per them, road rage has been the driving force behind many industries not even related to automobiles. Those embroiled in the fight damage each other’s vehicle, break heads, tear clothes etc. This leads to revenue generation for healthcare, auto-ancillary, garments and many related industries who then pay taxes and thus run the nation. However the on-lookers who get ‘phokat ka tamasha’ don’t pay any charges or taxes and which is not right. So we have kept a nominal charge of 10Rs/minute. The law would be applicable from immediate effect in all Congress ruled states.“ On another question asked on the so called nominal charges to be too high, he replied vehemently, “The middle class can buy 2000 Rs ticket for watching fixed IPL matches but can’t pay 10Rs for watching a Reality fight.”

Our sources went to the general public to get their reaction on the decision taken. One of the respondents said, “Watching an early morning Road rage fight was a big motivating factor for me to go to work early morning. When I would reach Manyatha flyover, I would park my bike, light a cigarette and wait for a fight to happen. That anger, that fury, those flying punches the atmosphere would be electrifying. My lone moment of excitement has also been snatched away. ”, said an emotional IT employee of Bangalore as he wiped his tears.

Another respondent named Krodheshwar Goswami who is a revered road rage fighter had this to say, “I just can’t believe this. After a spending frustrating day at office these road rage fights with autowallah would lift my mood up. It’s amazing how some twenty odd people would surround you trying to control you, the constable would ask you to cool down, some would even fear you, and at times you also get media coverage. I would be pampered as if I am someone from the Royal (Gandhi) family of India. Besides, I must have made some fifty odd friends during such fights with people who tried to stop me. In fact most of the time I would hit an auto rickshaw on purpose to pick up a fight with him. It’s all gone yaar, it’s all gone.”

Our reporter ‘Chitrakar Patrakar(CP)’ also got a first-hand experience of one such fight after the law got implemented. There was a Sardarji and an autowallah fighting over some petty issue. Slowly a crowd of on-lookers had gathered while CP went ahead and sorted the fight with the help of some police man. At the end of it the policeman handed him a receipt.

CP: Ohh! Road Rage charges, Here you go. (Hands the policeman 300 bucks)

Police: What is this? Read it carefully.

CP: Threeeeee….Three thousand rupees. But for thirty minutes it comes out to be Rs300.

Police: Sir those rates are applicable for Happy Hours. During peak hours it is 20 Rs per hour.

CP: So that makes it 30X20= 600 Bucks.

Police: For metropolitan city the charges are double.

CP: Alright so that makes it 40X30 = 1200. What about the rest?

Police: Sir Entertainment tax for this city is 25%.

CP: That makes it 1500Rs, that’s half the money.

Police: A surcharge of 33% for watching the fight in prime location.

CP: WOW! OK, so that makes it Rs 2000. What about the rest.

Police: I came and sorted the fight, so a Police service charge of 20% would also be calculated on it.

CP: OMG! So that makes it 2400. What about the six hundred?

Police : 4% VAT

CP: God knows what value you added. Alright that makes it 2500, what about 500Rs?

Police: So you want me to return you your 500 bucks, alright. Give me your driving license and I would lodge a police complaint. You will have to come to court for next five Mondays in continuation, post that you can collect your driving license from the court. I hope you don’t have a problem with that? (He chuckled)

CP: Just keep the five hundred.

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The post also got published in theunrealtimes.com . Here is the link
Road Rage