India has very few role models from whom the young generation can learn how to be a successful person in life. But, when these role models take the ‘illegal’ way to earn and save money it creates dissatisfaction across the nation. The similar thing happened with some of the greatest role models in India, Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.

They had applied for the tax exemption for the earnings from commercials they have done in past some years. The Income tax department awarded them some concessions that they actually do not deserve. According to the CAG report tabled in Parliament on Monday, the Comptroller and Auditor General has criticized the income tax department for the wrongdoing. The report clearly says that the ground, on which these players have given the tax concession, are not according to the rules. These players don’t qualify for the concessions actually.

According to the CAG report, Sachin Tendulkar, India’s richest cricketer, saved Rs 3.62 crore in last seven years and Sunil Gavaskar saved Rs 80.34 lakh.

Tendulkar and Gavaskar’s income from commercials and some other commercial activities were wrongly placed under section 80RR by the I-T department. Under this section, a portion of the income derived by authors, playwrights, artists, musicians, actors or sportsmen from a foreign source is treated as tax-free if it is earned in the exercise of their profession.

The It department had placed Tendulkar’s endorsement money earned in foreign exchange from commercials under this section by stating that he is an artist. CAG has pointed out that Tendulkar didn’t make this money as a sportsman. According to the report, The IT department’s argument that the tax had derived in the capacity of an artist by Tendulkar was not acceptable. He worked as a model, which cannot be construed as an artist for purpose of this section.

However, another question raises that can we actually blame Sachin for the tax fault because generally celebrities and sportspersons have no time to go for the details of the tax saving ideas. Every Indian taxpayer tries to save tax by any legal means and most of them depend of their CAs and other tax professionals.

If the tax department would object on any tax saving mean by terming it as illegal, who would ignore that objection? So, blaming Sachin and any other people is not good idea, we should blame the corrupt government officials who show the corrupt ways to the common people and the similar thing happened in this case.

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