Shimla, March 26 -- The Himachal Pradesh assembly on Wednesday witnessed a heated exchange between the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a proposed hike in entry tax. Clarifying the state's stance, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu denied any tax hike for light motor vehicles (LMVs) and accused the opposition of exaggerating the issue. Responding to queries by BJP MLAs Rakesh Jamwal and Sukhram Chaudhary, and Congress legislator Rakesh Kalia, Sukhu said the tax applies only to commercial vehicles and has not been increased to the levels being claimed. Highlighting an increase in state revenue, he said toll auction collections have risen from Rs.185 crore to Rs.228 crore. The chief minister explained that the rates appeared higher because entry tax collection has been integrated with the FASTag system. He said the government is evaluating a proposal to merge national highway toll barriers and Himachal entry tax collection points where they are located in close proximity. Sukhu assured the House that a final decision on the matter would be taken in the upcoming cabinet meeting. The government is also considering issuing passes to facilitate the daily commute of residents living in the border areas. The discussion highlighted challenges faced by border constituencies. Gagret Congress MLA Rakesh Kalia and Paonta Sahib BJP legislator Sukhram Chaudhary pointed out that several villages share borders with Punjab and Uttarakhand, where locals cross over daily for work. Nalagarh MLA Hardeep Bawa echoed their concerns. Jamwal also questioned if the tax would apply to commercial taxis. The state government recently decided to revise entry tax rates on vehicles from other states from April 1, 2026. This move drew sharp objections from Punjab finance minister Harpal Cheema, who termed it inappropriate and hinted at a reciprocal entry tax on Himachal vehicles. BJP MLA Randhir Sharma warned that such a retaliatory move would adversely affect Himachalis working in Punjab, while stakeholders in Himachal's tourism industry are already voicing their opposition. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the session, Sukhu reiterated that entry and toll taxes have existed for nearly 30 years and his government is not introducing them. Addressing Punjab's pushback, Sukhu said he has already discussed the matter with his counterpart in the neighbouring state. The assembly also witnessed sparring over a proposed "widow and orphan cess" of up to Rs.5 on petrol and diesel. Sukhu clarified that the assembly has only passed a Bill granting the government the authority to impose such a levy, and no price hike has been implemented yet. The Bill will become law only after receiving the governor's assent and being officially notified. Criticising the opposition for politicising the issue, Sukhu slammed former CM Jai Ram Thakur for presenting "misleading" facts to the media in Delhi. He asserted that the legislation merely sets a ceiling, and the government will take a call on whether to impose it, and to what extent, at a later stage. He explained that the provision was introduced to ensure any generated funds are strictly directed toward the welfare of orphaned children and widowed women....