Himachal Pradesh CM Denies ‘Toilet Seat Tax’ Claims Amid Political Uproar – N.F Times

Shimla: A significant political controversy has erupted in Himachal Pradesh over claims that the state government has introduced a ‘toilet seat tax’. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Congress-led government of imposing a ₹25 fee per toilet seat in urban households, sparking widespread backlash.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has vehemently denied these allegations, labeling them as “baseless” and politically motivated. “There is no such order from our government. This is a fabrication by the BJP to mislead the public,” Sukhu stated in a press conference on Friday12.

The controversy began when reports surfaced suggesting that the Himachal Pradesh government had issued a notification to charge ₹25 per toilet seat as part of the common sewerage and water bill. The BJP quickly seized on these reports, with leaders like Amit Malviya and Shehzad Poonawalla criticizing the move as an example of poor governance by the Congress34.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also weighed in, calling the alleged tax “unbelievable” and a disgrace to the country. “While PM Modi is building toilets to promote sanitation, the Congress is taxing them. This step, if true, will shame the country,” she tweeted5.

In response, the Himachal Pradesh government issued a clarification, stating that no such notification had been issued. The government emphasized that the recent changes pertain only to water charges and not to any new sewage connection fees based on the number of toilet seats25.

The incident has highlighted the ongoing political tensions in the state, with both parties accusing each other of spreading misinformation. As the debate continues, residents of Himachal Pradesh are left to navigate the conflicting claims and await further clarification from their government.

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