Prakash Ambedkar slams the government over "inflated" electricity bill issue.

Leader of the Bahujan Aghadi, Prakash Ambedkar, recently criticised the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government over the issue of increased electricity bills which has created a stir both among the public and the government. Questioning the government, Ambedkar asked if the Maharashtra Chief Minister was Uddhav Thackeray or Ajit Pawar?

The criticism has been going on for several weeks from many opposition parties as the electricity bill sent by the MSEDCL has raised worries for the consumers. The state government had earlier promised that the MSEDCL would offer a waiver and reduce the bills sent to the consumers during the lockdown. The proposal regarding the same was submitted to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who was also positive on it. 

However, after thorough consideration, this proposal has been rejected by the state Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, eventually leading to several questions regarding his power, which has made people question if he was running the state. Leaders have been questioning if he is CM of Maharashtra. Prakash Ambedkar slammed the MVA government at the recently held press conference and posed several questions via the media.

Adding more he said that the MVA government has cheated consumers by offering false promises about waiving off electricity bills. He also mocked the rise in the bills noticed since April and has questioned regarding the source and reason for the increase, thereby asking the government to offer an explanation. He also asked regarding the arrears reported by the government which comes up to a sum of INR 51,946 crore as on March 2020, stating that this was less than half in 2014.

As per reports, the contract for meter reading was awarded during the lockdown and the officials have made a mistake in reading the same, basis which a proposal has been sent for 50 per cent electricity bill waiver to the government, and the MSEDCL. Keeping this in mind, consumers should not pay the increased electricity bill.

Prakash Ambedkar also appealed to the consumers that if the power connections are disconnected, the deprived Bahujan Alliance will support them and get the power reconnected.