AAP vows to expose Cong, BJP soft-pedalling

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday opposed BJP’s demand of a CBI inquiry against power <g data-gr-id="30">discoms</g> for allegedly inflating dues to the tune of a whopping Rs 8,000 crore, saying the investigating agency came under the direct control of the <g data-gr-id="29">Centre,</g> but insisted on a separate independent probe into the matter.

Attacking both BJP and Congress over the issue, the AAP said it will “expose” both the parties for their “lackadaisical” approach in dealing with erring power <g data-gr-id="25">discoms</g>.

AAP’s Delhi unit secretary Saurabh Bharadwaj said the BJP government at the Centre did not initiate any action against the <g data-gr-id="23">discoms</g> after the CAG complained that they were not cooperating, while the Congress did nothing to prevent any electricity tariff hike in the national capital during its 15-year rule.

“We oppose the demand of initiating any CBI inquiry into this case as the agency comes directly under the Centre,” AAP leader Ashutosh said.

In an indictment of the three private power distribution companies in the national capital, the CAG has found them allegedly inflating dues from consumers to the tune of Rs 8,000 crore, besides a range of other irregularities including suppressing revenue. The AAP has got a shot in the arm over this as it had been demanding a CAG audit of power <g data-gr-id="39">discoms</g> in Delhi.

“What prevented (the then Congress chief minister) Sheila Dikshit from ordering a probe against these <g data-gr-id="22">discoms</g>.

“Is it not a fact that former senior Union ministers and Congress leaders Kapil Sibal and P Chidambaram are appearing for Reliance <g data-gr-id="36">discoms</g> in the Supreme Court for electricity tariff hike while <g data-gr-id="38">its</g> another leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi opposed CAG audit of these <g data-gr-id="37">discoms</g> before the Delhi High Court,” Bharadwaj said.

“What did the BJP do to ensure audit when the CAG complained that the power <g data-gr-id="24">discoms</g> were not cooperating?

“Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal had said <g data-gr-id="31">discoms</g> do not maintain records older than 8 years in a bid to ridicule Arvind Kejriwal government which had ordered a CAG audit in January last year,” Bharadwaj added.