New Delhi: A day before the odd-even road rationing scheme rolls out, BJP parliamentarian Vijay Goel on Sunday said he would violate the rule and alleged that it was an "election stunt" of the Kejriwal government.
"My violation of odd-even scheme of the Kejriwal government will be symbolic because it's an election stunt and drama in view of assembly election," Goel told PTI, adding that he would ride an odd-numbered vehicle on even day. The Rajya Sabha member had broken the odd-even rule and paid a fine of Rs 2000 when the scheme was implemented by the Kejriwal government in April 2016.
Vote bank politics has "blurred" the rationality of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Goel alleged. "With exemptions to 70 lakh two-wheelers, cab aggregators Ola and Uber, three-wheelers and women drivers, the odd-even scheme has been rendered a mere gimmick and an election stunt," he said. AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, have been blaming crop residue burning as the main reason behind severe levels of air pollution in the city.
Kejriwal had recently said that BJP leaders like Goel were not realising the "seriousness" of air pollution problem in the city. The AAP and the BJP have been engaged in a blame game over the pollution crisis in Delhi. "If only stubble burning is responsible for causing pollution, why is Kejriwal government implementing odd-even scheme?" Goel asked.
"Kejriwal has never made any report public about pollution caused by vehicles and other sources," he said. Goel claimed many environmental experts were against the odd-even scheme, and added that it was a "waste" of public expenditure. The odd-even scheme will start from 8 AM on Monday. Under the scheme vehicles having odd and even last digits of registration number will ply on odd and even dates, respectively. The scheme will conclude on November 15.
