Kejriwal plans indefinite fast against 'inflated' power bills

05 March, 2013

Aam Adami Party's (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal has announced an indefinite fast from March 23 to protest against the 'inflated' power and water bills served to the consumers in Delhi.

Kejriwal would not fast at the usual protest venue Jantar Mantar but he would sit at those houses, which, according to him have got inflated bills. His announcement is also seen as a move towards redefining AAP's political strategy by shifting focus from the government and political parties to the people.

He has appealed to the people of Delhi to pay only the half of the power and water bills. He also said that if the concerned authorities decline to accept the half amount then public should not pay the bills. Kejriwal has said that in solidarity with the people of Delhi, he will also not pay his power bills, although he is a resident of Ghaziabad district in UP.

Kejriwal while calling the Delhi government corrupt, has alleged that it is in cahoots with the discoms. He said that the main opposition party BJP is not coming to the rescue of the consumers as both the Congress and the BJP are working hand in glove.

In a press conference, the convener of the AAP said that he will be sitting on the fast till the time masses do not join him in his protest against the Delhi government, as reported by NNIS. Kejriwal has claimed that the electricity meters in Delhi were running at 25-40% greater pace and half of the electricity bills in Delhi were inflated.

Kejriwal added that the protests would continue until the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) do an audit of discoms, freeze tariff hikes till the completion of audit and frame rule that consumers would not be forced to pay inflated bills.Congress has not taken the announcement by Kejriwal seriously and called it as an attempt to attract public attention.