The Delhi BJP organised a dharna near Delhi Assembly on Monday protesting against the steep rise in the prices of essential commodities in the past one year.
Blaming the State Government for not addressing the issue, Delhi BJP chief O. P. Kohli said the unprecedented rise in the prices of food grains, pulses, sugar, vegetables, oil and milk was affecting every resident of the city.
“Even basic amenities like water and electricity have become costly. The DTC and metro railway fares have also been increased. Before all this, school tuition fees were hiked.”
Charging the Government with betraying the residents of unauthorised colonies, Prof. Kohli said on the eve of the last Assembly elections, the Government had promised regularisation of such colonies and also issued provisional certificates. “However, even after one year these colonies have not been regularised. People of these colonies feel cheated,” he added.
On the issue of purchase of costly low-floor buses, Prof. Kohli said the public transport system could have been made more comfortable by purchasing ordinary buses in large numbers at lower rates. “Incidents of fire in these low-floor buses have been taking place in the past two weeks. Due to technical defects and lack of proper maintenance of these buses, the common man is not feeling safe travelling in them.”
The senior BJP leader accused the Chief Minister of spending heavily on government advertisements from public funds. “On the one hand power and water tariffs are being increased citing losses, while on the other public money is being wasted on hoardings and advertisements.” Leader of Opposition in Delhi Legislative Assembly Prof. V. K. Malhotra, BJP national general secretary Vijay Goel and former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana also addressed the protesters.
