BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Goel violates odd-even rule, issued a challan of Rs 4000 by cops
New Delhi: Senior BJP leader Vijay Goel on Monday violated the odd-even rationing scheme by driving an SUV with an odd last digit in its registration number and termed the initiative "an election stunt" by the Kejriwal government.
He termed it a "symbolic protest" against the scheme.
BJP vice president Shyam Jaju and other party leaders also accompanied Goel in the SUV which he drove from his residence on Ashoka Road, before being stopped near Janpath by traffic police personnel who challaned him. Violation of the odd-even rule is punishable with a fine of Rs 4,000. The fine was Rs 2,000 in earlier two editions of the initiative in 2016.
Goel's car bore features slogans that said 'pradushan ki zimmedar Kejriwal sarkar, odd-even hai bekar' and termed the scheme a drama. According to the scheme, non-transport vehicles having odd or even last digit of registration number are allowed to run on odd and even dates, respectively.
"I am doing this as a symbolic protest against the Kejriwal government's failure to do anything in five years to curb pollution in Delhi. It is now enacting a drama and election stunt in view of the coming assembly polls through odd-even scheme," he told reporters at his residence.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot later met Goel with a bouquet of flower, urging him not to violate the rule as it was aimed at bringing down pollution.
Gahlot said that people of Delhi are following the scheme and BJP's protest by violating it was wrong. The odd-even scheme will continue from 8 am to 8 pm till November 15.
Goel also violated the second edition of odd-even rule in April 2016. The scheme was introduced in Delhi by the AAP government in January 2016 to fight high level of air pollution.
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TN CM Vijay calls fuel price hike ‘unacceptable’, seeks rollback
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday slammed the increase of Rs 3 per litre in petrol and diesel prices, calling it "unacceptable", and demanded its immediate rollback, claiming the revision would affect various sections of society.
He said oil marketing companies do not reduce prices in line with global crude price trends and "take the profits".
"Union government oil marketing companies have increased the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 3 per litre. This is not acceptable," Vijay said in a statement.
The hike has been effected after the "five-state polls" (four states and one union territory), he added.
This price rise will largely affect the income of the poor and middle class using two-wheelers and small vehicles, as well as others dependent on vehicles for their livelihood, the CM said.
It will ultimately result in an increase in the prices of daily commodities and also "affect the purchasing power of the poor," he added.
Citing the chain effect of the price revision, such as increased input costs for small units, he said it could lead to a "slowdown" in the market and exports.
"Therefore, I urge the union government to immediately roll back the price hike that will affect the poor and middle-class people and SMEs," Vijay added.
Global crude oil prices have surged more than 50 per cent since US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation, which disrupted energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil shipments.
Petrol and diesel prices are now at their highest level since May 2022.
