The BJP has criticized the state government for increasing VAT on diesel at a time when the entire state is going through a rough patch, owing to rain fury that triggered landslides and flooding.

BJP state unit president Dr Rajeev Bindal, while addressing media persons here on Saturday, said that this hike on VAT on diesel is for the second time in seven months.

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“This government has increased VAT by Rs 3 in January and on Friday night also by Rs 3,” he rued, adding that when their party was in power in the state then in November 2021, VAT on diesel was reduced by Rs 17 and then VAT on diesel used to be Rs 4.40 and now after increasing VAT twice, the people of Himachal have to pay Rs 10.40 VAT on diesel.

“By the hike in VAT on diesel, the Congress government has directly increased the economic burden on the people of the state by Rs 1500 crore,” he added.

Blaming Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu led-state government for being insensitive to the concerns of the people at such an hour of crisis, he said: “This is the new era of the ‘Sukh ki sarkar’. The state government should have done the work of applying balm on the wounds of the people of Himachal Pradesh, but they have instead applied salt.”

When the Congress party wanted to come to power, they had doled out 10 guarantees before the public, but there was also a hidden guarantee, a guarantee to increase VAT on diesel, he said, taking a dig at the state government.

The Congress leaders have done the work of fulfilling this hidden guarantee first, and have made all other guarantees disappear, he alleged, adding that the increase in VAT on diesel will result in inflation.

“The apple season is at its peak, the roads are not good and with such an increase, now the freight charges are bound to increase. Construction material will be expensive, cement will be expensive,” he said.

“Disaster has struck across the state causing extensive damage and relief work is under process. JCB machines are on the roads. Due to diesel being expensive, the expenditure in relief operations will also increase, which will be an extra burden on the state exchequer,” he lamented.