Chandigarh: The political battle over Himachal Pradesh’s entry tax intensified on Wednesday after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Dinesh Chadha launched a sharp attack on senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and demanded that the party clarify its position on the issue.
In a strongly worded statement addressed to Rahul Gandhi and the All India Congress Committee (AICC), Chadha questioned whether the Congress leadership supported a tax that he described as being against the spirit of national unity and integration.
The Ropar MLA asked whether the Congress leadership agreed with the concerns being raised over the entry tax imposed by the Himachal Pradesh government and whether it considered such a levy consistent with the principles of a united India.
Chadha alleged that the tax had created a perception among many travellers that they were being treated as if they were crossing into a foreign country rather than moving between two Indian states.
He also raised questions regarding the legal validity of the levy. According to Chadha, tolls can be imposed only under specific provisions, and he questioned the basis on which such charges were being collected on routes connected to national highways passing through Himachal Pradesh.
The AAP legislator further accused Punjab Congress leaders of remaining silent despite being aware of the concerns being expressed by residents, transport operators and business groups.
His remarks have added a fresh political dimension to an issue that has been the subject of public debate in border areas of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in recent weeks.
Several transporters, traders and regular commuters from Punjab have opposed the tax, arguing that it places an additional financial burden on people and businesses that frequently travel between the two neighbouring states.
The controversy continues to generate political reactions, with parties seeking to position themselves on an issue that has drawn attention from both commercial and public interest groups.
