Former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel levelled a strong attack on both the Central and State governments with regard to the implementation of smart meters, the government task force and the E20 petrol policy.
In a statement to reporters, Baghel has said introducing smart electricity meters is an optional, not mandatory, step that had made consumers’ lives tough. He stated that government is misleading people when it says that the installation is compulsory.
While commenting on the functioning of the current government, Baghel deepened the impression of it being akin of ‘Andher Nagari, Chaupat Raja’, in which the state is facing a situation of handling the affairs in a faulty manner.
He further alleged that the entire system was being run by the lobby men and those involved in the RSS and the agenda of the BJP government was not in the interest of the people. No welfare scheme can be working in citizens’ interest, if the people who are implementing the welfare scheme are not doing their work with honesty.
In response to the Centre’s initiative of established a high powered task force, Baghel said ‘just forming a committee would not resolve existing problems and there are systemic issues that need to be addressed.
The former Chief Minister also lambasted the right to use E20 petrol, adding to the growing debate about its effect on the performance of vehicles. Accusing Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari of the chopping down of vehicle mileage, Baghel alleged that the ethanol blended fuel is extremely harmful to the engine.
He said that drivers are struggling with unnecessary problems because of the E20 policy and poking fun at how the new policy has “ruined out” people’s cars, and asked the government to think again on the strategy.