AAP stages protest against power tariff hike

Punjab's main opposition party, the AAP, today staged a protest in front of a power utility's office in Patiala against the hike in electricity tariffs by the PSERC.
The protest by the party comes after the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC), this week, announced an average hike of 9.33 per cent in power tariffs.
The AAP's state president, Bhagwant Mann, alleged that the Congress government had failed on all fronts and that the masses were fed up with its "anti-people" policies.
He claimed that rather than waiving the debt of farmers, the Congress government was hell bent on giving benefits to its leaders.

"The minister themselves are acquiring control of the illegal trades in the state," he said while addressing protesters in front of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited's office in Patiala.
The Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Sukhpal Khaira, accused Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for fleecing people by increasing electricity tariffs, and market committee and rural development fees.

Khaira alleged that a government which came to power barely seven months ago on the basis of lofty electoral promises, has now embarked on the "draconian" path to teach the people a lesson by burdening them with multiple taxes.
Instead of fulfilling its promise to give relief to the industry by offering them power at Rs 5 per unit, the government has now burdened all the sectors, domestic commercial and industry, the AAP leader claimed.

Khaira alleged that the hike comes at a time when people are facing rising inflation, slow growth rate and recession.