Shimla
Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Mahajan strongly criticized the Himachal Pradesh government over the imposition of entry tax, calling the decision anti-people and harmful to the state’s economy.
Mahajan said that the nearly six-hour traffic jam at the Dooni border, where more than 150 trucks and hundreds of vehicles were stranded, clearly indicates that the government’s decision has failed on the ground. According to him, the situation reflects poor planning and the adverse impact of the policy on transportation and trade.
He stated that a large part of Himachal Pradesh’s economy depends on tourism and transport, with nearly 20–30 million tourists visiting the state every year. In such a situation, decisions like the entry tax will directly affect the tourism industry and negatively impact the state’s revenue.
Mahajan further said that Himachal Pradesh is already under a debt burden of more than ₹1.4 lakh crore, and the government is imposing new taxes on the public to hide its economic failures.
He also described Punjab’s warning of imposing a retaliatory tax as a serious matter. If such a step is taken, he said, the movement of thousands of vehicles daily will be affected and trade worth crores of rupees could suffer losses.
According to Mahajan, the entry tax will increase transportation costs, which will ultimately lead to higher prices for common people. Prices of essential goods such as fruits, vegetables, cement, and other commodities are likely to rise.
In conclusion, he demanded that the state government immediately withdraw the decision to impose entry tax. Otherwise, he warned, the BJP will intensify its agitation across the state against what he termed an anti-people decision. He added that the BJP stands firmly with the public, traders, and those associated with the transport sector and will continue to fight for their interests at every level.
