Former chief minister and Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur slammed the Sukhu government for imposing taxes on almost everything, including hospital services.

Thakur said on Wednesday that the government has crossed all limits in imposing taxes, starting from toilet tax to taxing patients for seeking hospital services.

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The government has ordered hospitals to collect fees from patients for every service, including emergency treatments, he claimed, adding that the decision is anti-people and inhumane as the patients are already vulnerable and cannot afford additional burden in the form of tax.

“The Central government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, provides free drugs and diagnostic services to citizens while the Sukhu government is taking away this right from the people of Himachal Pradesh,” he lamented.

He asked why the state government is imposing taxes on healthcare services when the Central government is bearing the expenses.

Criticizing the government’s decision to limit free tests to once a year per person, he said if anyone falls ill multiple times in a year, he will have to pay up for the tests or go without them.

This decision will further burden the poor and vulnerable sections of society, he added.

Thakur criticized the government’s healthcare policies, stating that they are more focused on imposing taxes rather than providing quality healthcare services.

The government’s decisions are making it difficult for people to access healthcare facilities, and the state is losing its reputation due to such policies, he added.