Assam Pradesh Congress Committee staged a protest in Guwahati against the hike in power tariff and burnt the notice copy of the hike in electricity rate on October 5.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also took part in the protest and burned the notice copy placed over a banner using a bow and arrow.
Later speaking to the media persons, Gaurav Gogoi alleged chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of treating people of Assam as his “personal ATM” and said that if Congress comes into power, it will provide 200 units per month of free electricity to deserving families.
“Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is treating the people of Assam as his personal ATM. Every time the government runs into lakhs of rupees of debt, the BJP government increases the tax, electricity bill, all forms of duties, toll tax and therefore the poor people have to bear the brunt of the failures of the BJP… We have said that when we come to power, we will provide 200 units per month of free electricity to the most deserving families,” said Gogoi.
APDCL had in a notice issued to power consumers in the state announced the increase in the per unit price of electricity with effect from October 2023.
According to the notification, the FPPPA rate has been revised to 30 paisa per unit up to 300 units for domestic consumers; 50 paisa per unit for consumption between 301 and 500 units; Rs 1.29 per unit for consumption more than 500 units. The FPPPA rate for other categories (commercial, industrial, etc) will be Rs 1.29 per unit.
When questioned about the arrest of AAP MP Sanjay Singh, MP Gaurav Gogoi said: “This shows how the BJP is scared. They are on the back foot. Last year they summoned Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. So, this is just a way of intimidating the people of India. They are using law enforcement agencies on the press, on journalists.”
“BJP, PM Modi and Amit Shah believe in the politics of intimidation. But Rahul Gandhi has clearly told the people of India: ‘Daro Mat’. People of India are listening to Rahul Gandhi. Nobody is scared of PM Modi. Nobody is scared of Home Minister Amit Shah,” added Gogoi.
