Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday replied to actor Kangana Ranaut for her remark that “only 3-4 per cent of citizens are tax-payers” and that people should refrain from violence over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The Aam Aadmi Party leader said that while he opposes protests that are violent in nature, he doesn’t agree with Ranaut’s claim that “only 3-4% of citizens are tax-payers and the rest are dependant on them”.

“This country is not dependent on the taxes of only 3% of the people. Every person in the country pays a tax, from a daily wage worker to a billionaire,” he said, adding that labourers pay indirect taxes while buying necessary items like salt. “Income tax paid by billionaires isn’t the only kind of tax there is,” he said.

हिंसा और पब्लिक प्रोपर्टी को नुक़सान पहुँचाना तो हर हाल में ग़लत है, यह इंसानियत और क़ानून दोनो के ख़िलाफ़ है. ..
पर यह देश सिर्फ़ 3% लोगों के टैक्स पर dependent नहीं है. एक सामान्य नौकरीपेशा, यहाँ तक कि एक दिहाड़ी मज़दूर से लेकर अरबपति तक, देश में हर आदमी टैक्स देता है. 1/3 https://t.co/nCHv3tnX4e

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) December 24, 2019

Sisodia’s reaction came after Ranaut was speaking against the destruction of public property during anti-CAA protests at the launch of her upcoming movie Panga. She said “in our country, only three to four per cent of people pay taxes. Rest of them are actually dependent on them. So, who gives you the right to burn buses, trains and create ruckus in the country?”

Sisodia, in response  said, “When a daily wage labourer buys salt, he pays the amount inclusive of indirect tax. Income tax paid by billionaires isn’t the only kind of tax there is.”

“The same daily wage labourer also pays taxes in cinema, contributing to the income of wealthy superstars. Now wonder who is dependant on whom,” he added.

और हाँ! एक सामान्य दिहाड़ी मज़दूर भी…जब सिनेमा देखने जाता है तो …फ़िल्मी सितारों की करोड़ों की कमाई में योगदान भी देता है और इस देश के लिए टैक्स भी देता है. अब सोचिए कौन किस पर dependent है?
3/3

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) December 24, 2019

Former Indian Badminton player Jwala Gutta also reacted to Kangana’s statement with a tweet, “Every Indian is a tax payer!!!!”

Every Indian is a tax payer!!!!

— Gutta Jwala (@Guttajwala) December 24, 2019

Speaking about CAA protests, the actor said, “When you are demonstrating, the first thing that is important is people don’t take to violence…One bus costs a lot. It’s not a small amount. And the condition of this country is such that there are so many who are dying of malnutrition, so it’s not correct for people to instigate violence in the name of democracy. This is my personal opinion.”