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'No thanks' to prostitute tax
02/03/2007 13:30 - (SA)
Kolkata - An Indian state on
Friday rejected a proposal by prostitutes to pay tax to the
government in return for stopping police raids on brothels and
checks on soliciting clients.
Officials in the eastern state of West Bengal said since
prostitution was illegal, the government could not tax sex
workers.
"Tomorrow, criminals will say we will pay taxes so don't
catch us," Raj Kanojia, a top state police officer, said.
On Thursday, the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC)
- an umbrella group of 65 000 sex workers in West Bengal -
announced that prostitutes would charge clients extra to help
them pay tax.
"Even if we collect one rupee from each client it would
boost the exchequer," Smarajit Jana, DMSC's chief adviser,
said. "Let the government collect taxes legally, as prostitutes
in any case pay the police hefty amounts to get away."
About four million clients visit red light areas under the
control of DMSC every month in West Bengal.
Sex workers say they are harassed by police and picked up
from brothels, hotels and nightclubs and jailed. They often
have to pay bribes to officers to continue working.
Under Indian law, sex workers cannot solicit customers in
public. Authorities tolerate brothels in some areas although
police often raid them to rescue minors or to prevent women
from being forced into the profession.
- Reuters
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