Patiala: Nihang Sikhs have said they will restart and ‘make permanent’ their symbolic “Khalsa tax” on Himachal Pradesh-registered vehicles from any day after June 21, renewing a dispute that has run for weeks over Himachal’s entry tax on vehicles from outside the state.Nihang leader Baba Achar Singh, who represents the Anandpur Sahib faction of the ‘Misal Sahibzada Baba Jujhar Singh Ji Chamkaur Sahib’ organisation, stated that the step was taken because neither state govt had replied despite repeated cautions. He added that the group, with activists and local residents, has been calling on Himachal to remove the entry tax entirely, or for Punjab to introduce an equivalent reciprocal charge on vehicles coming in from Himachal Pradesh.The dispute began after Himachal Pradesh decided to increase its entry tax on out-of-state vehicles. Later, a symbolic “Khalsa tax” was collected on June 3 for an hour by Nihang Singhs at the Punjab–Himachal Pradesh border in Kiratpur Sahib. Himachal Pradesh had earlier raised entry fees for certain vehicle categories, and although it later reversed the increase for private vehicles from Rs 170 to Rs 100 after objections, dissatisfaction in Punjab continued.On June 3, the Nihang Singhs set up a checkpoint near the Gara Maura NHAI toll plaza on the Kiratpur Sahib–Manali road and collected the symbolic tax for roughly an hour. Commuters were asked to contribute voluntarily, starting at Rs 10, and the Nihangs compared the Himachal levy to the historical “Jaziya tax.” The group said nobody was compelled if they declined to pay during the protest, and that some chose to pay amounts ranging from Rs 10 to 200 as Khalsa tax. At that time, Achhar Singh said the action had been compelled because both the Himachal and Punjab governments had ignored the difficulties faced by people affected by Himachal’s entry tax, while giving the two governments a 10-day deadline to resolve the matter.The protest drew strong responses on both sides of the border. Himachal’s revenue minister condemned the move, describing the entry tax as a normal state matter, and alleging the agitation was driven by political interests. In Punjab, the matter became a key opposition issue, with Sangarsh Morcha convener Gaurav Rana accusing the AAP government of doing little and questioning the delay in bringing in the demanded reciprocal tax, even as an AAP legislator and opposition party functionaries from Ropar said it was being considered.As no settlement was reached, protest leaders, including the Himachal Entry Tax Sangharsh Committee and the Sangarsh Morcha, met on Tuesday to decide their next steps. Ropar DC Aditya Dachalwal was unavailable for comment. The unresolved issue comes at a delicate moment as Himachal Pradesh approaches its peak tourist season, increasing concerns among transporters, traders, and tour operators about possible disruption at border points. Both governments are again facing pressure to reach a negotiated solution before the June 21 deadline passes.MSID: 131774686 413 |
