Shimla: A fresh political row has erupted in Himachal Pradesh after the state government increased petrol and diesel prices by ₹5, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition.
Leaders have targeted the Congress leadership, alleging that the much-publicised “khatakhat model” associated with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi has now “turned into a khatara (broken) model” in the hill state.
The opposition claims that the latest hike will put an additional burden of over ₹1,000 crore annually on the public, directly impacting household budgets amid already rising inflation.
Critics further argued that this is not the first instance of fuel price escalation. They allege that earlier VAT hikes had already increased fuel prices by over ₹10, and with the latest ₹5 cess, the total burden on consumers has reached around ₹15 per litre.
Calling it a “direct attack on the common man,” opposition leaders accused the state government of repeatedly resorting to fuel taxes to generate revenue, instead of exploring alternative financial measures.
Meanwhile, the state government has yet to issue a detailed response to the criticism, even as the issue is expected to intensify political debate in the coming days.
