'Phulera ki Panchayat, not governance': Sisodia slams BJP over fuel ban on old vehicles

Senior AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday accused the BJP-led Delhi government of waging another “assault on the middle class” through its recent order banning refuelling of overage vehicles in the capital.

Sisodia's statement comes amid the BJP government defending the move and calling it a necessary step in its ongoing pollution control efforts.

“The BJP government has issued a tyrannical order to remove 61 lakh vehicles from Delhi's roads. This is not governance; this is 'Phulera ki Panchayat'. Families who've maintained their vehicles with care are now being punished. Even those vehicles that have travelled less than 10,000 km are being deemed unfit,” Sisodia said in a press conference here.

Effective July 1, petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years were prohibited from refuelling in Delhi. The order was part of an intensified crackdown on End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) and is backed by automated surveillance.

Penalties include fines of Rs 10,000 for four-wheelers and Rs 5,000 for two-wheelers, along with possible impounding and towing charges.

Sisodia questioned the motives behind the policy, asking, “Who benefits from this? Vehicle manufacturers, scrap dealers, and number plate companies. Is it a coincidence that this order came just before taxi fares were allowed to increase?”

He also accused the BJP of hypocrisy, saying, “They defied a Supreme Court Constitutional Bench order with an overnight ordinance. Now they say they can't help 61 lakh Delhi families?”