The Punjab government has lodged a strong objection regarding the increased entry taxes imposed by Himachal Pradesh for entering the state. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated that Himachal Pradesh must withdraw the hiked rates; otherwise, Punjab, too, knows how to impose taxes.
Meanwhile, Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu mentioned that he had called Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann regarding this matter, but he was unable to speak with him. Subsequently, he held discussions with Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa. He urged them to facilitate the issuance of concessional passes for residents of the border regions.
Reacting to this, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserted that the entry tax imposed by Himachal Pradesh is unjustified. Taking a jibe, the CM noted that reports are now emerging suggesting that the rates have been reduced. If this is indeed the case, it is a welcome development; as the saying goes, “If one who has lost their way in the morning returns home by evening, they are not considered truly lost” though, in this instance, the Himachal government seems to have found its way back home by the afternoon itself.
Mann emphasized that Himachal Pradesh must bear in mind that travelers wishing to visit destinations such as Vaishno Devi, Kullu, Manali, Manikaran Sahib, and others must necessarily pass through Punjab’s borders. The CM stated that the Punjab government would observe the Himachal government’s stance for a few days; thereafter, Punjab, too, is fully capable of raising taxes.
