BJP leaders protest in Delhi against high surcharges in electricity bills

New Delhi, July 15

The Delhi BJP held protests across 14 districts against what it calls the “looting” through the power purchase agreement charge (PPAC) and other surcharges in electricity bills on Monday. The BJP accused the Delhi Government of colluding with power discoms, leading to inflated bills for consumers.

‘Govt looting consumers’

The Delhi Government is looting the consumers in the name of PPAC and pension surcharges. PPAC is illegal and it should be withdrawn immediately. — Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi BJP president

At a protest at BSES Yamuna’s main office in Karkardooma, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, along with other party leaders, expressed outrage over the surcharges. “The Arvind Kejriwal government has been continuously deceiving the people of Delhi in the name of electricity surcharges. Every consumer paying an electricity bill is putting more than 50 per cent of the money into the pockets of Kejriwal and the power companies in the name of surcharges,” Sachdeva said.

He further highlighted the history of PPAC, stating, “The 1.5 per cent power purchase agreement charge was illegally imposed for the first time in Delhi in 2011 by the then Congress government. It was withdrawn in 2014 but was reintroduced and increased to 45 per cent by the Kejriwal government.”

Sachdeva also criticised the pension surcharge, which he claims is being unfairly charged to consumers. “Power companies, with the backing of the Kejriwal government, are collecting pensions for their retired employees from consumers, whereas it is the responsibility of the power company, not the people of Delhi,” he said.

At another protest outside the NDPL office in Vijay Nagar, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said, “The Delhi Government only pretends to provide free electricity, but the reality is that Delhi has the most expensive power bills. The surcharges being collected are more than the electricity bills being paid.”

South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, at a protest in Vasant Kunj, said, “Kejriwal came to power with the promise to audit the accounts of power companies, but today the Delhi Government and power companies seem to be equal partners in looting the public through electricity bills.”

Protests also took place in other districts, with BJP leaders calling for immediate relief for Delhiites.