Political Row Intensifies Over Himachal Entry Tax
Escalating the political battle over the entry tax imposed by the Himachal Pradesh Government, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Ropar, Dinesh Chadha, launched a sharp attack on senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday. Chadha demanded that the Congress leader clarify the party’s position on the issue, which has sparked widespread controversy across the border regions of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
Chadha Questions Congress Leadership
In a strongly worded statement addressed to Rahul Gandhi and the All India Congress Committee (AICC), Chadha questioned whether the Congress leadership supported what he termed a tax against the unity and integrity of the country. “Does All India Congress Committee and Rahul Gandhi not agree that the entry tax being imposed by the Himachal government is against the unity and integrity of the country?” Chadha asked.
The Ropar MLA alleged that the levy created an impression among citizens that they were entering a foreign nation rather than traveling within India. “Don’t they believe that this tax makes other Indians feel like they are going to a foreign country when they visit Himachal Pradesh, a state of their own country?” he said.
Legal Concerns Raised
Chadha also raised legal concerns regarding the nature of the tax. He contended that under the law, only toll tax can be imposed on certain roads and questioned the legitimacy of charging such a levy on national highways passing through Himachal Pradesh. “Doesn’t the Congress party know that by law it is not an entry tax but only toll tax, which can be levied on local roads in Himachal Pradesh and not on national highways?” he asked.
Chadha accused the Congress leadership in Punjab of remaining silent despite being aware of the issue. “If they know it, then why are they undermining the unity of the countrymen? Why are you not asking your Himachal government to remove this jizya tax?” he said, using the term jizya — a tax imposed on non-believers during Mughal times — to describe the levy.
Political and Public Reactions
The remarks have added a fresh political dimension to an issue that has dominated public discourse in the border areas of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh over the past several days. The controversy centers around the entry tax collected by the Himachal Pradesh Government from commercial vehicles entering the state. Several transporters, traders, and residents of Punjab have opposed the levy, alleging that it places an additional financial burden on commuters and businesses dependent on frequent movement between the two states.
The issue gained momentum after the Sangharsh Committee against the Himachal entry tax announced protests at various entry and exit points connecting Himachal Pradesh with neighboring states. Earlier this week, members of the committee blocked traffic on the Kiratpur Sahib-Manali national highway, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the tax. Nihang Sikhs also symbolically imposed a Khalsa tax on Himachal vehicles, threatening to make it permanent if the Himachal entry tax was not removed.
Political parties in Punjab have also weighed in on the matter. While opposition leaders have criticized the Punjab Government for failing to secure relief for affected residents, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party has directly targeted the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government over the continuation of the levy.
