SAD protests against high power tariff outside House

The Akalis also accused the Congress of striking “underhand deals” with the management of private thermal plants, resuling in a loss or Rs 4,100 crore to the state exchequer.




Members of the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday stormed the Well of the Punjab Assembly after the House Speaker refused to accept their calling attention notice on high power tariff in the state.

Soon after the Question Hour during the Budget session ended, members of the SAD sought from the Speaker about the status of their calling attention notice.

When the Speaker did not allow the same, all the members of the SAD and the BJP rushed to the Well of the House and raised slogans against the government.

Earlier before the start of the session, the Akalis held a protest outside the Assembly over the issue. Leading the protest, senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia accused the Congress government of putting additional burden on power consumers. “Power is costliest in Punjab at this moment,” Majithia claimed.

The Akalis also brought some families, who received steep power bills in the past, to the protest. “The Congress had promised to provide electricity at Rs 5 per unit. But now, people are being charged Rs 9-10 per unit which was exorbitant, “ said Akali leader Parambans Singh Romana. Power rates in Punjab were hiked by 36 paise a unit from January 1 for domestic consumers.

The Akalis also accused the Congress of striking “underhand deals” with the management of private thermal plants, resuling in a loss or Rs 4,100 crore to the state exchequer.

They said people were receiving inflated bills and demanded an immediate rollback of the power tariff hike as well as an independent inquiry into the “Rs 4,100 crore power scam”.

Legislative party leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and Majithia said the Congress government should immediately reverse the power hike and provide power to domestic and industrial consumers at Rs 5 per unit as promised in the party’s election manifesto.

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