By colluding with automobile companies, BJP Govt is forcing 61 lakh middle-class families to buy new vehicles: Manish Sisodia

New Delhi: Declaring the BJP government’s vehicle ban a ‘corporate scam in the garb of pollution control’, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has slammed the sudden directive to remove old vehicles from Delhi’s roads as a “Tughlaqi farmaan” — designed not to reduce pollution, but to enrich automobile companies, scrap dealers, and high-security number plate manufacturers.

Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia pointed out that this anti-middle class policy is the result of a nexus between the BJP and vehicle manufacturers. “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,” Manish Sisodia said. The AAP has demanded an immediate rollback of the order banning fuel supply to older vehicles, calling it a cruel betrayal of Delhi’s working families.

Drawing a biting parallel with the popular web series Panchayat, senior AAP leader and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said, “In the show, a new Panchayat is formed in Phulera using deceit, manipulation, slander, and conspiracies. Similarly, the Delhi government today is acting like this new Panchayat of Phulera—abusing power, misusing police and central agencies to impose arbitrary orders. But their problem is that they simply do not know how to run a government. They issue absurd orders while allowing power-hungry forces to run the show from behind the scenes.”

Sharing the anguish of 61 lakh Delhi vehicle owners, Manish Sisodia said, “The ‘Phulera Panchayat’ of Delhi has made it nearly impossible for common people to use their own cars and motorbikes. The order is that petrol will not be provided to vehicles over 10 years old and diesel to those over 15 years old. Pollution is the excuse—but the real aim is to rob the common man. The BJP’s decision affects 18 lakh car owners and 41 lakh two-wheeler owners. That’s 61 lakh families who now suffer because of this irrational diktat.”

“These vehicle owners are weeping tears of blood. Many of these vehicles are well-maintained, some haven’t even crossed 20,000 km. Pollution norms are being followed, but the BJP’s ‘Phulera Panchayat’ says no petrol or diesel. The message is clear: buy a new car or bike. You will not be allowed to even keep the old one at home,” Manish Sisodia added.

He pointed out that the biggest beneficiaries of this policy are automobile companies. “The common people are being punished, while the automobile industry is minting money. With 18 lakh new cars and 41 lakh new two-wheelers forcibly entering the market, their profits will skyrocket. The entire middle class of Delhi is devastated. The salaried class, who save for years just to buy a vehicle on a ₹5-10 lakh loan, are being forced to start all over again.”

“A salaried person buys a car to travel from home to work and back. Most of these cars have barely been used. Many are still under loan. Senior citizens keep cars that they use sparingly. Now even they are being told to buy new ones. Where will a retired person get the money to buy a new car? Many cannot even get loans anymore. People with modest earnings often purchase second-hand cars or bikes. Now, even they are being told to sell them off and buy new ones,” said the senior AAP leader.

Manish Sisodia underlined how this move crushes a long-cherished dream of the Indian middle class. “Buying a car is not like changing a shirt or ordering a meal. For the Indian middle class, buying a car is as big a dream as owning a house or educating their children. They buy one car in a lifetime. But the BJP says that’s not enough—your old car must now be scrapped and replaced.”

He highlighted how a nexus of profit-making industries stands to benefit from this government decree: “First, the automobile companies. Second, the scrap industry that will dispose of old vehicles. Third, companies that manufacture high-security number plates. And fourth, taxi aggregators like Ola and Uber.”

Calling out a “well-orchestrated corporate conspiracy,” Manish Sisodia added, “It is no coincidence that from July 1, fuel supply to old vehicles in Delhi has been stopped in the name of curbing pollution, and on the same date, 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.”

Appealing to the BJP government on behalf of Delhiites, Manish Sisodia said, “People of Delhi elected you to serve, not to make them cry tears of blood. Whether it’s siding with private school owners to hike fees or embracing auto companies to enforce Tughlaqi orders, this is betrayal. Take back this arbitrary order. Don’t stop fuel for old vehicles. Many vehicles are still roadworthy. If pollution is the concern, then tackle pollution directly—not by looting people under the guise of environmental protection.”

Responding to the BJP’s claim that they are merely following a Supreme Court order, Manish Sisodia scoffed, “This argument is laughable. BJP doesn’t follow court orders—they overturn them with midnight ordinances. We’ve seen it in Delhi. If the BJP can bring an ordinance to strip Arvind Kejriwal of powers in defiance of the Constitution Bench, then why can’t it act to protect 61 lakh families in Delhi? They are simply using the court as a pretext to loot the people.”

Manish Sisodia concluded by demanding immediate withdrawal of the vehicle fuel ban order, calling it a cruel betrayal of Delhi’s middle and working class, designed not for public welfare but for private profit.