Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal broke his indefinite fast, against inflated power and water bills on the 15th day, on Saturday evening. Claiming that his purpose has been served and the protest has made power and water election issues for the upcoming Delhi polls in which the Congress and the BJP will be wiped out.
While addressing the gathering after having a glass of coconut water offered by an eight-year-old girl, Neru, Kejriwal announced that the party members and its volunteers would demonstrate at Jantar Mantar on April 28.
Maintaining that the AAP has managed to seek letters from 10.5 lakh people who had vented their anger against corruption and water and tariff hike, he said, they ask Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to accept them if the Government fails then they will march towards the CM's house on the same day.
“With the blessings of Anna Hazare, I have ended the fast, but the protest should go on,” said the AAP leader who began his fast on March 23. Eyeing the upcoming State elections, Kejriwal's speech seemingly reflected the party's manifesto. “When AAP comes to power in November this year, we would introduce the Jal Swaraj system wherein people would collect water bills themselves and even engage in water management through rain water harvesting,” he added.
He also said that on winning the State elections, they would reduce electricity bills by 50 per cent and will ensure 20 kilolitres of water to every household every month
for free.
Meanwhile, AAP officials said around 150 power lines of households across Delhi were re-connected, which were snapped due to non-payment of bills. “We will carry on with restoration of power supply to more households. This is a civil-disobedience movement, we would not step back and would be continued till the Government does not mend its ways,” said Manish Sisodia, spokesperson of AAP.