BJP protests power tariff hike in New Delhi

New Delhi, June 29 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged mass demonstrations to protest against the recently announced steep hike in power tariff here on Friday.

BJP termed the hike, the fourth of its kind within a year, an act of atrocity on the common man.

After the latest hike, the power consumption tariff has shot up by a sharp 26 percent.

Carrying placards and wearing black bands, the protestors raised slogans against Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and burnt her effigy.

Senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra demanded a roll back in the tariff hike.

"The entire Delhi is suffering, there is no water or electricity available and it would be a joke to call Delhi a first class city. Our movement would continue, till the CAG does an audit of it and we would want CBI to inquire the whole matter as to how the Delhi government along with the involvement of the major companies are looting the people," Malhotra said.

He alleged the Delhi Government of working hand in glove with private companies generating and distributing power to the national capital.

The BJP demanded an inquiry into the functioning of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) and the Delhi Government by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The increased tariff would be effective from July 1, 2012. (ANI)