By IANS,
New Delhi : Announcing the launch of his political party, Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday said he will disconnect the electricity supply of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as part of a protest against the recent hike in power tariff.
“People should not pay electricity bills if government disconnects anyone’s electricity, we will reconnect it. I am ready to go to jail. We will not just gherao (lay siege to) chief minister’s (Sheila Dikshit) residence, but will disconnect her electricity,” Kejriwal said.
He threatened to hold a protest here Sunday if the state government did not announce a rollback of the electricity tariff hike.
“We will hold a dharna Oct 7, people will burn electricity bills at 3 p.m. in 114 municipal wards. They must roll back the hike before Nov 3, or we will protest again on Nov 4 and gherao Sheila Dikshit’s house. We challenge them to try to cut the electricity of anyone in Delhi. I will come and restore your electricity. We are ready to go to jail for this,” Kejriwal said.
Slamming Dikshit for increasing electricity and water rates, Kejriwal said: “Sheila Dikshit has to reduce the electricity and water costs in Delhi. This is wrong. They should not have increased costs.”
He alleged the private power distribution companies were making huge profits.
“There was an order (by the regulator) saying that the tariff should be reduced by 23 percent. But Sheila Dikshit stopped that order. Is this not corruption? The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) should do an audit. And after that audit, the people will decide if rates should go up or not.”
Calling as ineffective the recent nationwide shutdown organised by opposition parties over price hike, he said: “Did it have any effect? All these political parties are doing ‘drama’. Nothing happens. We are going to take our struggle till the end.”
He also said he would disclose corruption cases against some leading political figures Saturday.
“On Oct 6, we will reveal corruption charges against two very important people in this country. We have a lot of evidence against them,” he said.
Kejriwal said both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were working in tandem. “They work in tandem, there is no opposition in the country. We are the opposition.”
“We want India to improve. We are very stubborn. We will not rest till corruption is eradicated. There is a ‘dharam yudh’ (holy war) now in this country. Everyone has to take sides. No one can stay quiet. Our country has become a nation of VIPs. Now there will be only one VIP in this country — the ‘aam aadmi’,” he said.
“This cap gives us respect. I will wear this for the rest of my life,” he added, donning a Gandhi cap with “Mein hoon aam aadmi, mujhe chahiye Janlokpal” (I am common man, I want Jan Lokpal) printed on it.
He also asked his followers not to make him a VIP.
“There are many who love and respect me. They touch my feet which is not right. Hug me but don’t touch my feet, that is the culture of the BJP and the Congress. No garlands as well. I don’t want to become a VIP. If you see me doing something wrong, please tell me, I will set it right,” he said.
He said the name of his political party will be announced Nov 26.