‘Toilet’ tax has lowered image of state: Anurag Thakur

The ‘toilet’ tax imposed by the Congress government has not only lowered the reputation of the state but also exposed its poor governance, alleged Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur while addressing public meetings in the Nadaun and Barsar Assembly segments today.

He said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working to make the country free from open defecation, the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was imposing a tax on the use of toilets in houses. He added that when the local and national media highlighted the issue, Sukhu withdrew the notification to save face.

Anurag alleged that the Congress government had discontinued the free electricity scheme, imposed water tax and stopped the Himcare and Sahara schemes started for the poor and needy. He said that the Congress government had failed to protect the interests of the state. He added that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had given the special status to Himachal but the Congress withdrew it and Narendra Modi had restored it.

Anurag said that the state government would have collapsed had the Central Government not supported it. He alleged that the Congress government had done nothing for the welfare of the poor and needy while Sukhu’s Cabinet colleagues were living lavishly on the public money. He added that the Central Government had given over Rs 28,000 crore under various heads for the development of the state.