New Delhi: Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, in a press conference on Thursday, described the fuel ban on End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) as a ‘corporate scam in the garb of pollution control’. He alleged that the policy was designed to deliberately enrich businesses such as taxi aggregators, automobile manufacturers, and scrap dealers, among others.
“BJP is forcing 61 lakh middle-class families to buy new vehicles just to benefit its corporate friends, even though many of these vehicles are barely used and pose no pollution threat,” he pointed out.
Demanding an immediate rollback of the order banning fuel supply to older vehicles, he called the policy “a cruel betrayal of Delhi’s working families”, arguing that many ELVs follow pollution norms and are well-maintained. He underlined the burdens faced by different middle-class groups —from the salaried class buying vehicles on long-term loans, to senior citizens who use their vehicles sparingly—all of whom will either be forced
to start from scratch again, or give up the middle-class dream of owning a vehicle.
Pointing to a “well-orchestrated” conspiracy, Sisodia stated, “It is no coincidence that from July 1, the Union Transport Ministry allowed Ola and Uber to charge double the fare during peak hours—up from the previous cap of 1.5 times. With old vehicles off the road, Ola-Uber will flourish. The BJP will profit. The common man will suffer.” He concluded by demanding the immediate withdrawal of the vehicle
fuel ban order, alleging that it was designed not for public welfare but for private profit.