"Only productive and not punitive taxation can revive the economy," he said, announcing state-wide agitation from July 24 from Jalandhar.
Referring to the plans of the state government to impose heavy taxes, after already imposing extra VAT and duty on sugar and mobile phones as also increasing electricity tariff, he said, such taxation only derails economy and discourages investment.
He said if the government is really sincere about reviving the economy it should generate resources by getting investment and industry which can contribute by way of taxes and not by robbing the poor people with heavy taxes on items required for day to day survival, like sugar.
The former Chief Minister said no matter how many taxes the government imposes it was not going to help the economy in anyway.
The massive gap between revenue and expenditure cannot be filled by "extorting money from people through punitive taxation", but making the economy vibrant, he said.
"The state needs productive taxation but this government is imposing punitive taxation which will not serve any purpose," he said, adding this will only lead to more corruption and even lesser revenues affecting the economy further.
