'Conspiracy' to stop power subsidy scheme, still Kejriwal accused of 'fighting': Delhi CM Kejriwal
New Delhi (PTI): Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday asserted that his government would not let the "conspiracy" to stop the power subsidy scheme in the national capital succeed and said he would defend like a rock the rights of the people of Delhi.
A day after Power Minister Atishi alleged in the Delhi Assembly that officials were trying to stop the power subsidy scheme at the behest of Lt Governor VK Saxena, Kejriwal warned him not to complain later about "dignities" being breached.
Earlier this week, Saxena -- in an apparent reference to his relationship with the AAP dispensation that has been aggressively attacking him over a range of issues -- had said that the "dignity of speech" was breached in recent times.
While alleging that there is conspiracy to stop the power subsidy scheme introduced by his government in Delhi, Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi, "Still they say Kejriwal fights a lot."
"Conspiracies are being hatched to stop (the) free electricity (scheme) in Delhi. But we will not allow their conspiracy to succeed. Kejriwal will be found standing like a rock for the rights of the people of Delhi. LG saheb, please do not say later that dignities are being breached," Kejriwal said.
Amid allegations of officials obstructing the Delhi government's electricity subsidy scheme at the behest of Saxena, Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Friday referred the matter to the Standing Committee on Public Facilities.
Speaking in the House on the issue, Atishi said, "It seems that the chief secretary and officials are conspiring... to stop the power subsidy at the behest of L-G Saxena. A file in this regard was sent to the chief secretary with directions that it should be sent to the Cabinet within 15 days.
"Today, it is March 24 and the file is yet to come to me. Instead of sending the file to the chief minister, the file was sent to the chief secretary."
AAP MLAs also supported the issue, prompting Goel to send the matter to the standing committee.
Earlier this month, Saxena had asked Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to direct the Power department to place the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) advisory on restriction of power subsidy before the council of ministers and take a decision within 15 days.
The instruction was made on the basis of DERC's statutory advisory to the Delhi government to consider "restricting" the subsidy to the "poor and needy consumers".
Consumers with power consumption of less than 200 units do not have to pay any charge. Those with consumption of 201-400 units get a 50-per cent subsidy, capped at Rs 850.
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi''s third-fastest IPL ton propels RR to 228/6 against SRH
Jaipur (PTI): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (103) went hammer and tongs for the third fastest hundred in IPL history off 36 balls, powering Rajasthan Royals to a huge 228 for six against Sunrisers Hyderabad, in an IPL match here on Saturday.
Sooryavanshi made SRH pay a heavy price for an early reprieve when he was on 32 to notch up his second hundred in the league and first of the season, which followed three whirlwind fifties earlier.
The 15-year-old once again displayed his rich repertoire of strokes executed with brute force and timing, as Rajasthan played their first match of the season here at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. He used the long handle to maximum effect to clobber 12 sixes as against five fours in his 37-ball 103.
He brought up his ton with a six off Sakib Hussain (1/62) on his 36th delivery, recording the third fastest century in the IPL after his own 35-ball hundred last year and Chris Gayle’s 30-ball ton for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in April 2013.
Sooryavanshi was off the blocks quickly when he smacked Praful Hinge (1/49) for two sixes on the on side and two down the wicket on the final four balls of the opening over, making a rapid start and didn’t look back.
An on-song Sooryavanshi rarely missed a freebie to punish as he garnered runs on both the sides of the wicket while putting on two robust stands at the top to continue RR’s charge.
His rapid start helped in adding 40 runs off only 14 balls for the opening wicket while he consolidated for RR with a 112-run stand for the second wicket with Dhruv Jurel, who chipped in with a 35-ball 51 with eight fours and two sixes.
Sooryavanshi's charge ended immediately after completing his ton when he missed a scoop off Hussain and was pinned in front of the stumps for a leg-before.
Meanwhile, Jurel was also lucky twice as Hussain could not hold on to two tough return chances in his follow-through.
Even as SRH managed to get the rid of the dangerous Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) early, they erred when the opportunity was created by Eshan Malinga (2/38) in the fifth over to remove Sooryavanshi.
On a length ball, Sooryavanshi looked to heave it to the on-side but mistimed it. Aniket Reddy covered some distance at deep midwicket on his right but the ball popped out of his hands for a costly drop.
Sooryavanshi went on to complete his fifty off 15 balls with a six in the sixth over from Hussain.
RR's innings was also spruced up by Donovan Ferreira's late 16-ball 33, studded with three sixes and as many fours.
Amid the charge from RR batters, SRH had their regular skipper Pat Cummins returning with impressive numbers of 4-0-27-1 with his solitary wicket being that of his counterpart Riyan Parag (7).
