CHANDIGARH: A controversy has broken out in Himachal Pradesh over allegations that the state government plans to tax the public based on the number of toilet seats they have in their houses. However, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu categorically denied imposing a 'toilet tax' in the state. He said his government had taken steps to rationalise the water subsidy and decided to impose minimal charges of Rs 100 per connection per month in rural areas.
Reports had claimed that the state government would impose a Rs 25 tax per toilet seat on residents of urban areas. Union Finance Nirmala Sitharaman slammed the Congress government for the so-called 'toilet tax'. "Unbelievable, if true! Whilst PM (Narendra) Modi ji builds Swachhata as a people's movement, here is Congress taxing people for toilets! Shame that they didn't provide good sanitation during their time, but this step will shame the country," Sitharaman wrote on X.
BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh also said that the Himachal government is continuously imposing new taxes and restrictions on the people. "This is a reflection of the Himachal government's economic bankruptcy, policy bankruptcy and mental bankruptcy," he said.
Additionally, BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya took to X and wrote, "In a bizarre move, the Congress Govt in HP will now tax citizens based on number of toilet seats they have at home. You read that right - number of toilet seats! PM Modi is building toilets, Congress is taxing them. This is what ‘crap’ leadership does…"
Reacting to their statements, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu categorically denied imposing a 'toilet tax' in the state. He said such claims are baseless and should not be used for political purposes. "In light of the Haryana elections, the BJP is either playing the religion card or raising the toilet tax issue. It is completely false. No one should try to politicize issues purely for political gains, especially when the allegations are far from reality," he said.
Sukhu also added that prior to the assembly elections in 2022, the then BJP government had introduced sops worth Rs 5,000 crore, including provision of free water in rural areas in a bid to get votes. Despite these measures, the people of the state voted in favour of the Congress. He further said free water was being provided even to five-star hotels.