Chetan-Kushal start SMS campaign

Chetan-Kushal start SMS campaign

Ask people to abstain from paying taxes till the monsoon recedes
Tushar Joshi
tushar.joshi@mid-day.com

Chetan Hansraj is hopping mad at the BMC. The actor has been moving his car up and down near his Bandra residence to avoid damage due to the heavy rains and the waterlogging. The building where he lives, is also flooded. Since he stays on the second floor, there has been no water entering his flat, but the actor is locked inside his house with his wife and son Ethan.
Floods and bills
Recently, we received an SMS from Chetan asking us to refrain from paying taxes as a mark of protest against the government towards the problems being faced by its citizens. "I paid Rs 40,000 to get my car repaired, and everyday I have to keep moving it to an area where water doesn't collect. I think my problem isn't that big compared to those who lose their valuables or are stuck outside for hours."
After sharing his point-of-view with his close friend Kushal Punjabi, Hansraj asked him to draft a SMS that would be a silent way of protesting against the incompetent officials. "Kushal came up with the text for the message and we both decided to pass the word around. I seriously would like to ask the government, 'Why am I paying taxes?' Aren't they supposed to utilise that money for the benefit of their people? It's sad to see that that isn't happening at all. This is a non-violent way of protesting and making your voice heard."
Make it private
Says Kushal, "I haven't suffered as much as Chetan. But I think if the municipality is not up to the mark, then they should hand over the roads and other places to private companies. We should have emergency services up and running for those stuck in places."
But what exactly do these two want to achieve from their SMS campaign? "We want people to spread the word around. We used non-violence to get rid of the British, and I'm sure we can do the same with lethargic BMC officials who don't care about our lives," says Chetan.
Campaign SMS
Respected citizens of Mumbai, in revolt of the second deluge that has affected not only our city, but our lives, we must stand up against the false promises made by the BMC and show them that we will not sit quiet this time. Please boycott paying any taxes till we see a concrete improvement till the monsoons of 2007.