AAP to protest electricity tariff hike

 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will kick off its agitation and take to the streets again from 7 July if electricity rates are hiked. Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said the party will not hesitate to launch agitation if the electricity prices go up. 

The DERC (Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission) has indicated that the electricity tariff is likely to go up in Delhi in the coming days. He said AAP is following the wait and watch policy as it is believed to give some time to Modi government to fulfil its promises which they had made in the election campaign.

Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had implemented its election promise of slashing the electricity tariffs by 50 per cent within 72 hours of coming to power. 

‘We had shown people how to reduce the electricity and water prices. Kejriwal government did not kneel down before the power companies who ‘blackmail’ the government by threatening power cuts upto 10 hours a day, and warned them of strict action including possible cancellation of licenses. Our government also told the Tatas and Ambanis, who run three electricity distribution firms in Delhi, that if they failed to comply to the terms, the government was willing to bring in new players too,’ said Rai.

AAP tried to appease all sections of society when it was running the government, including slashing electricity bills of households in Delhi by half. The party in its manifesto earlier, claimed to bring a radical change in the corrupt system, cheap electricity, regular water supply and affordable housing for the middle class residents and minority appeasement topped the agenda of the newly formed party. ‘AAP is of a clear view that the BJP is forcing the people to take to streets by imposing a completely unjustified decision, which must be stopped at all costs.’