PANAJI
Delhi MLA and a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, Raghav Chadha landed at Goa Airport on Tuesday afternoon and reiterated his request to have a public debate with Goa’s Power Minister Nilesh Cabral over the effectiveness of Delhi’s electricity supply model as against Goa’s power supply model. The idea of the debate was floated by Cabral in a recent press conference and the sharp, young AAP MLA had gladly accepted it.
With Cabral refusing to honour his word, Chadha preferred to communicate with him through the media.
“A total of 73 per cent people of Goa will get free electricity and the remainder will receive cheap power along the lines of the Delhi model within 48 hours of the AAP forming the next government in Goa,” the young AAP MLA declared.
Chadha informed that in Delhi people consuming up to 200 units of power per month get zero power bill and those consuming from 200 to 400 units of electricity per month get only 50 per cent bill. Besides, the power supply across Delhi is uninterrupted at all times.
He assured that the same system will be introduced in Goa within 48 hours when AAP is elected to power in Goa.
Referring to electricity bills of Goa and Delhi he pointed out that in Delhi those consuming up to 200 units do not have to pay anything while those consuming 200 to 400 units have bills far lower than what Goans are paying. “The BJP has not been able to do it in Goa because they lack political will to give this benefit to the people,” he stated.
Chadha lamented that Goa’s Power Minister Cabral shied away from the very challenge he had given to have a public debate on the power models of Delhi and Goa. The AAP MLA tried calling Nilesh Cabral on the very number he had given at his press conference. However, the phone remained busy.
Commenting on the issue of protocol cited by Cabral to escape the quicksand he had landed himself in, Chadha stated, “What protocol excuse is he giving? The Minister can have a live video conference with the Delhi Power Minister if he so wishes. Don’t chicken out of the promise.”
“Goans have been looted and cheated by the BJP and the Congress has become irrelevant to Goan politics given the fact that they frittered away the mandate given to them by the people,” he argued adding that the next Assembly elections in Goa will be a fight between AAP and BJP.
Replying to a question regarding facilities to people he said women in Delhi do not have to pay for public transport and pointed out that education is free for children while in Goa parents have to purchase the books for their wards. Besides, he asserted that the “Mohalla Clinics” give best treatment to patients and that free treatment is offered even at super speciality hospitals.
Responding to a query about the rising air pollution in Delhi, Chadha stated that pollution is not a problem restricted to Delhi but extends to the northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh due to stubble burning.
“The Air Quality Index in Varanasi which is represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is worse than that of Delhi and why is the Prime Minister not improving his own constituency,” he asked while pointing out that last year Delhi state had reduced the air pollution by 25 per cent.
While admitting that the increase in Covid cases in Delhi is alarming as it is going through the third phase, he argued that the Delhi model for tackling this pandemic is being followed everywhere as it is found to be the best.
He said he had come prepared to discuss the power scenario and refused to be drawn into discussing the political situation or AAP plans for future and only pointed out that his party was looked down upon in 2013 during the Delhi elections where it was elected to power thrice and once, with a record majority.
