Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu faced a massive political backlash after a report claimed that his government had imposed a "toilet tax" on the houses of those residing in urban areas of the hill state. Reports claimed that the Himachal government will impose a Rs 25 tax per toilet seat on residents of urban areas. The reports also said that out of Rs 100 water charge, the 'toilet tax' will be 25 per cent per residence.
Several BJP leaders including Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hit out at the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh over the alleged ‘toilet seat’ tax. Taking to X, Sitharaman wrote, “Unbelievable, if true! Whilst PM @narendramodiji, builds Swachhata as a people’s movement, here is @INCIndia taxing people for toilets! Shame that they didn’t provide good sanitation during their time, but this step will shame the country!”
Unbelievable, if true!
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) October 4, 2024
Whilst PM @narendramodi ji, builds Swachhata as a people’s movement, here is @INCIndia taxing people for toilets! Shame that they didn’t provide good sanitation during their time, but this step will shame the country! https://t.co/EPTmOmyufM
BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya called the move “bizarre”.
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!
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) October 4, 2024
PM Modi is building toilets, Congress is taxing them. This is what ‘crap’ leadership does… https://t.co/Hp5VuS4xdF
Similarly, Shehzad Poonawalla, BJP spokesperson, took a swipe at Congress, saying, “Now Congress won’t even let you to go to toilet in peace”.
Khata khat model 😀😀 Now Congress won’t even let you to go to toilet in peace ! Wahan bhi tax !!
— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) October 4, 2024
Himachal Pradesh Govt Imposes Toilet Seat Tax on Urban Residents!
The government notification related to sewerage and water bill states that a fee of Rs 25 have to be paid per… pic.twitter.com/TuS3zUxhI9
However, amid public and political uproar, state Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu denied imposing such a cess and rejected all the allegations. "We are charging Rs 100 per family for water connection and it is also not compulsory. There is no such thing as toilet tax," CM Sukhu said while refuting the report, according to news agency IANS.
Terming the reports as "baseless", the Himachal Pradesh government clarified that it was an old notification which was subsequently withdrawn on the “same day”.
A Himachal official clarified that the notification was issued only to be withdrawn after the deputy CM said "it didn't look right".
"The notification was issued on 21st Sept 2024, regarding the charges in rural as well as urban areas. It was all mentioned in detail. Wherever the sewerage has been installed by the department, the charges will be 30 per cent of the water bill. But a few establishments were such, a few hotels were such that - both in rural and urban areas, where they had their own water scheme. But they used the department sewerage...Since they used their own water system, they were charged on the basis of per seat. But as soon as this notification was issued and the file reached the deputy CM, he said this didn't look right. So, this (notification) was withdrawn. This provision of per seat has been withdrawn," Onkar Chand Sharma, additional chief secretary at Jal Shakti department told news agency ANI.
Instead of such a LONG explanation should have just said we have done kejriwal turn. #TioletSeatTax 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
— Karthic (@bkartic) October 4, 2024
In Himachal Pradesh, the fee for taking a domestic sewerage connection is Rs 500, while the commercial rate is Rs 1,000.
Himachal Pradesh has a total of five municipal corporations, 29 municipalities and 17 Nagar Panchayats, housing a total of around 10 lakh people.
