Chandigarh, January 10: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers on Friday held a massive protest outside the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh in Chandigarh over high electricity rates in the state. AAP MP Bhagwant Mann is leading the protest, reported news agency ANI. To bring demonstrators under control, police had to use water cannon on the workers. AAP Slams Congress, Previous SAD-BJP Alliance Govts for High Power Prices in Punjab.
Aam Aadmi Party is the main opposition party in Punjab. The agitation by Arvind Kejriwal-led party workers comes after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) protested against the Indian National Congress government over the issue of power tariff.
ANI Tweet:
Chandigarh: Police use water cannon against Aam Aadmi Party workers who are protesting against high power tariff, outside Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's residence. MP Bhagwant Mann is leading the protest. pic.twitter.com/K4WxPpJBvK
— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2020
Electricity rates in Punjab went up by 36 paise a unit from the start of this year for domestic consumers. Earlier, AAP had accused the state government of not honouring its poll promise of cancelling agreements with private thermal power plants.
AAP had claimed that the increase in electricity rates is allegedly because of pressure from private power firms. It alleged that this move was the result of coal washing charges of Rs 1400 crore to be paid to private thermal power plants.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 10, 2020 03:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).