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₹10 lakh per inspection ‘extortion targets’; ₹1,000 crore refunds blocked, claims BJP leader Anil Sarin

Chandigarh: Punjab BJP state general secretary Anil Sarin on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, alleging that the Excise and Taxation Department has been converted into a “tool of organised extortion”, pushing Punjab’s trade and industry into a state of fear and financial distress.

Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh—alongside senior leader Jagdeep Singh Nakai, state media head Vineet Joshi, and co-treasurer Sukhwinder Singh Goldy—Sarin said the government, in an attempt to fill its “empty treasury”, has unleashed an unprecedented level of pressure on traders.

‘Monthly extortion targets fixed’

Sarin alleged that excise officials have been instructed to conduct at least four inspections every month, each carrying an “unofficial extortion target” of ₹8–10 lakh per visit. “This is not tax collection. This is straight extortion under government supervision. Calling it tax terrorism is no exaggeration,” he said, adding that officers were functioning under political pressure to meet these targets.

‘₹1,000 crore refunds blocked, liquidity crushed’

The BJP leader further claimed that the state has blocked GST refunds worth over ₹1,000 crore, crippling the cash flow of traders and MSMEs already struggling with market challenges.“While the Central government releases refunds on time, the Punjab government is looting traders’ rights by withholding their money,” Sarin said. “Meanwhile, the Finance Minister keeps making false claims of revenue growth.” He said these tactics have created widespread panic in industrial clusters and severely undermined business confidence in the state.

BJP demands immediate rollback of ‘tax terrorism’

Sarin warned that the BJP would not allow the victimisation of Punjab’s business community and demanded immediate corrective action. “The BJP stands firmly with traders and industry. The government must release pending refunds immediately, withdraw these extortion-style inspection targets, and put an end to tax terrorism,” he said. “Punjab’s economic progress is directly linked to the security and confidence of its business community,” he added.