Shimla: Fuel prices in Himachal Pradesh are set to go up after the state government imposed a fresh cess on petrol and diesel, triggering a political storm with the BJP launching a sharp attack on the Congress-led government.
Reacting to the hike, BJP MP Anurag Thakur, speaking within the Parliament complex, accused the Congress of burdening the common man. He said the much-publicised “Khatakhat Model” of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi has now turned into a “Khatara Model,” alleging that the government’s policies are pushing the state into financial distress.
Thakur claimed that the ₹5 per litre increase in petrol prices would impose an additional burden of over ₹1,000 crore annually on the public. He further pointed out that Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel had already been increased by more than ₹10 in earlier instances, and with the new cess, the total additional burden has now reached around ₹15 per litre. Calling the move “anti-people,” he said it would directly impact household budgets and transportation costs.
Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur also targeted the state government, alleging that the Chief Minister is imposing what he termed a “widow and orphan cess” just to keep the administration running. He claimed that the financial condition of the state has deteriorated sharply, comparing the situation to a “financial emergency” and saying the government is functioning on “ventilator support.”
Earlier yesterday, the state government passed the Amendment Bill in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, amid uproar. The Opposition strongly opposed the bill, terming it harmful for the common people, and staged a walkout after the government refused to withdraw it.
The amendment allows the state to impose a cess of up to ₹5 per litre on petrol and high-speed diesel at the first point of sale. The government, however, defended the decision, stating that the additional revenue is necessary to ensure the smooth implementation of welfare schemes for widows and orphaned children and to avoid any funding gaps in the future.
