BJP govt harming tourism sector in Himachal: Priyanka Gandhi

Shimla: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday accused the BJP government at the Centre of harming small and medium businesses, including the tourism sector in Himachal Pradesh.

Claiming that demonetisation and Goods and Service Tax (GST) implementation hit the tourism industry of the state, she promised to strengthen the sector with a focus on small and medium businesses if the Congress was voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing an election rally in Kullu, Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of handing over public property of the country such as ports, airports and coal mines to “his industrialists friends”.

“Even in Himachal today, maximum cold stores are owned by Adani who decides the rate of apples and the fate of apple-growers,” the Congress general secretary alleged.

In addition, Gandhi claimed that import duty on apples coming from the US has been reduced, while local producers have to pay the GST imposed on agricultural implements and equipment. Due to this, apple-growers in the state are affected by the imported apples from the US that have flooded the markets, she added.

Gandhi also alleged that people are now “dying due to the Covid vaccine” and that the BJP had taken a Rs 52-crore donation from a manufacturer.

Despite being in power for 55 years the Congress could not become the richest party but the BJP has become the richest party in the world in just 10 years, she said.

Speaking at a public rally, Gandhi said if the INDIA bloc comes to power, poor women in the state will get Rs 10,000 every month --Rs 8,500 as promised in the Congress manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls and Rs 1,500 promised by the party’s government in Himachal Pradesh.