Withdraw hike in power tariff, or face people's wrath: VK Malhotra

NEW DELHI: Demanding immediate withdrawal of hike in power tariff, BJP today said Delhi government has been imposing taxes on already overburdened people and "pleasing" the private companies by giving them subsidy.

"The citizens are already facing unprecedented price rise, corruption, law and order problems and top of it Chief Minister has dealt another blow (by hiking power tariff). The CM seems to be more interested in pleasing the private companies and their owners by giving them subsidy while imposing taxing on already overburdened people," Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly, said.

Malhotra demanded immediately rollback of the power tariff hike and said the patience of common people in the capital was running out.

Addressing the protest meetings, the BJP leader alleged that Shiela Dikshit government is blatantly encouraging the private distribution companies to loot and fleece the helpless citizens.

Malhotra also accused the government of misleading the people on the tariff hike.

"It's not 26 per cent hike as Shiela Dikshit has claimed but it is three times more. In an ordinary household, consumption of electricity is between 200 to 400 units. Earlier, one unit used to cost Rs 3, now it will cost Rs 5.18," Malhotra said.

He said some Congress leaders were talking of providing subsidy but they have not elaborated who will provided the money for subsidy.