RJD MLAs shout slogans against the state government outside the Assembly on Tuesday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

The RJD on Tuesday blamed chief minister Nitish Kumar for the recent hike in electricity tariff in the state and demanded immediate rollback.

The Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission (BERC) on Friday last announced an average hike of 12.1per cent on power tariff across the state. The new rate is being charged from April 1.

RJD general secretary Ramkripal Yadav said: “Increasing the electricity tariff by 12.1 per cent has added an extra burden on the budget of the common man. Bihar is already facing several problems because of inflation and price rise, which has made life tougher for the common man. Instead of giving relief to the people, he (Nitish) has increased the electricity rate for no reason.”

He further said: “Nitish Kumar aam admi ka khoon chus rahe hain (Nitish Kumar is sucking the blood of common man) by increasing the electricity rate. Everyone is not rich like him who can afford to pay the higher cost for electricity. He must not try to enforce his rules and regulations on everyone in the state.”

The RJD general secretary insisted that the power tariff had been hiked on the insistence of the chief minister. “He (Nitish) says that the government has not increased the rate, it has been increased by the regulatory commission. Can anybody tell me who are the members of the commission? The members are from the government itself. How come, the commission is above the government? It is he (Nitish) who has increased the electricity rate. It is impossible for the commission to increase the rate without his permission.”

“Our party strongly condemns the move of the state government and demands a rollback of the hike. It will directly affect the monthly budget of the middle class families and the micro industries. The housewives are already finding it difficult to run their families in limited budget. This sudden rise in the electricity rate has come as a shock to them,” Ramkripal said.

He threatened to stage a dharna and organise protest march against Nitish’s government if the electricity rates are not rolled back.

RJD Bihar unit president Ram Chandra Purbey also attacked the government for the hike decision. “Since 2008, the Bihar government has increased electricity tariff 12 times. This is a shocking data which proves the mismanagement under Nitish’s rule,” said Purbey.

He further said: “His (Nitish) government is extracting money from the pockets of the common man for its own benefit. The wrong policies of the government have triggered financial crises in the state. To fill financial gap, time and again, the state government makes some new rule which troubles the common people.”

The RJD leader slammed the government for other schemes as well. “The announcement of the Nitish government to replace burnt transformers within 24 hours in urban areas has gone for a toss. It seems that the rule only exists on paper. I can cite several examples where a burnt transformer has not been replaced in over a month. Those who want to replace the transformers are forced to bribe BSEB (Bihar State Electricity Board) officials. This is the bitter truth in the regime of Nitish,” Purbey said.

RJD former union minister Kanti Singh and former minster Ashok Singh were also present at the party office.