We’ve a federal system, Nadda should know: Himachal CM Sukhu

Taking strong exception to Union Health Minister JP Nadda’s remark that the Congress government could not run the state without the Centre’s assistance even for a single day, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said he should know that we had a federal system in the country and that the Centre did not favour any state. “From where does the Centre get taxes? It gets its money by collecting taxes from the states. So, the Centre is not doing any charity, it’s the right of the people and the states to get assistance from the Centre,” Sukhu said while inaugurating a new OPD block of a cancer hospital in Shimla on Monday.

During his recent visit to the state, Nadda had launched an all-out attack on the Congress government, mainly highlighting the financial dependence of the state on the Centre. “The Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) and our share in Centre and state taxes is our right. So it was inappropriate for the Union Minister to make such comments,” Sukhu said.

Furthermore, the Chief Minister said Nadda had falsely accused the state government of imposing ‘toilet tax’. “The BJP leaders have been making such comments and allegations to influence the Haryana elections. No such tax has been imposed, yet it was made a national news,” he said. Sukhu further said the government had stopped free water supply to commercial establishments such as luxury hotels. “There are around 1,000 hotels that make profit anywhere between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 10 crore. Should they get free water and free power? We have only stopped that. So, making such comments without knowing the actual facts is unfortunate,” he said.  “The BJP leaders are making personal allegations. One should refrain from such politics,” the CM added.