Bollywood stars might lose their vanity vans as the association of vanity van owners have threatened to go on a strike from December 10. The Bollywood Celebrity Vanity Van Association and the All Camper Van Owners' Association have decided to go on an indefinite 'non-cooperation movement', which is expected to impact nearly 6,000 people from the film fraternity and the ongoing film shootings.
The protest comes after the Maharashtra government, as per new tax rule 2009, will start charging tax as per 5,000 sq meter for a vanity van from the owner, amounting to Rs 1,25,000 per annum. "Nowhere in the country is the tax charged on the dimension of vehicles. This is happening only in Maharashtra for vanity vans. In other states, the taxes on vanity vans are not more than Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 per annum, even a lifetime tax is for Rs 1 lakh," said Ketan Rawal, President, All Camper Van Owners' Association.
The tax is said to be highest in Maharashtra as compared to Gujarat where the tax is Rs 57,725 for 10 years, in Delhi the tax is on weight of vehicles, in Telangana its Rs 12,000 per year, and in Rajasthan and Tripura it is approx Rs 12,000 per annum and a one-time tax of Rs 68,175 respectively.
"Due to such high taxation by the Maharashtra government, we are on the verge of closing down our business," Rawal added. All the camper van owners' association have decided to go for an indefinite strike which will affect 250 vanity vans owners, around 500 workers and halt shooting that will affect 5,000 daily wage workers.
Transport Commissioner Shekhar Channe said that no one from the association has approached him regarding this issue.
