The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab will ‘gherao’ the offices of Deputy Commissioners (DCs) in the state on June 18 and 19, in protest against the exorbitant power bills imposed by the government during the corona-induced national lockdown, seeking a complete waiver for the period. This was announced by party MLA and convener of party’s ‘Bijli Morcha’ Meet Hayer, after holding a marathon meeting with office-bearers of state trade wing held in Chandigarh here on Wednesday. Others who were present on the occasion were State President of Trade Wing Nina Mittal and Vice President Anil Thakur.Speaking to reporters in Chandigarh on Wednesday, Meet Hayer said the Capt. Government had been openly indulging in wanton ‘loot’ of the people, who were without means of livelihood for more than three months now in the face of the national lockdown and curfew, by sending them hefty electricity bills. The AAP would ‘gherao’ the offices of Deputy Commissioners in the state on June 18 and 19, in protest against the government in the saddle.
Nina Mittal and Anil Thakur lashed out at the Modi government at the centre, saying even the union government had not announced any fiscal stimulus to the middle and medium-rung industry hit hard due to the prolonged curfew/ lockdown, which had led to closure of trade activity across the state, already in the throes of a crisis.The AAP leaders demanded that the government should allow waiver on the hefty electricity bills for three months, and exemption on property tax, sewerage bill, various loan instalments due to banks and other taxes, etc so that to revive trade in the state, thereby rebooting the country's economy.The leaders said the AAP had always been protesting against the Captain Government over the issues of public interest and would continue to do in the near future till the time it acceded to the demands of the people reeling under the hefty power bills. He also demanded that a maximum of relief packages may also given to the traders and middle class families to enable to bring back the missing buzz to the ‘marooned’ markets, so that the farmers and farm laborers were not subjected to fall prey to suicides, day in and do out.Various prominent leaders of Aam Admi Party and workers from all over the state, including district and zonal presidents, also participated in the meeting and discussed issue of strengthening the party base.