Chandigarh Police used water cannons on Friday to stop Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers protesting against the hike in power tariff in Punjab from moving towards chief minister Amarinder Singh’s residence. The protest was held near the MLA Hostel in Sector 3. Power rates increased by 36 paise a unit with effect from January 1 for domestic consumers.
Vehicles with AAP supporters had started arriving around 1pm; after which the protest began with Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann leading it. Party MLAs Harpal Singh Cheema, Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Baljinder Kaur participated in the protest. AAP leaders claimed that party workers sustained injuries due to water cannons and police took several of them into custody.
AAP leaders claimed that consumers were being forced to pay between ₹9 and ₹12 a unit for electricity, which was ‘much higher’ as compared to the tariff in other states. Police also charged the protesters with lathis. DSP (central) Krishan Kumar also received injuries on his hand. Protesters have also sought scrapping of power purchase agreements signed during the previous SAD-BJP regime with private power plants.
Mann claimed, “Punjab which produces its own electricity, is selling it to consumers at higher rates. On the other hand, the Kejriwal-led government in Delhi, which produces not even a single unit of power, is providing the cheapest electricity to residents there.”
{{/usCountry}}Mann claimed, “Punjab which produces its own electricity, is selling it to consumers at higher rates. On the other hand, the Kejriwal-led government in Delhi, which produces not even a single unit of power, is providing the cheapest electricity to residents there.”
{{/usCountry}}The AAP claimed that the Congress, before taking over, had promised to review power purchase agreements, but had failed to do so, despite being in power for more than two-and-a-half years.