Days after the electricity connection of his Nagaur residence was disconnected over unpaid bills, Lok Sabha MP Hanuman Beniwal has claimed that Rajasthan’s Energy Minister Heeralal Nagar himself owes over Rs 2 lakh in unpaid electricity bills for one of his residences.
Showing a purported online copy of the bill, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) supremo said that Nagar owes as much as Rs 2.17 lakh to Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited for his residence on Jaipur’s Hospital Road. “Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at others,” Beniwal said.
Earlier this month, electricity department officials in Nagaur had disconnected the connection at Beniwal’s Nagaur residence, registered in the name of his brother Premsukh Beniwal, which also doubles as the party’s office. Ashok Chaudhary, Superintending Engineer, Ajmer Discom, had said that as many as six notices were given to the residence, but the money was bill was still not cleared.
Subsequently, Energy Minister Nagar had said, “It is not a question of whose electricity connection has been disconnected. It is a normal process when the bill is unpaid. It is not possible that if someone is a VIP, MP or MLA, their electricity won’t be disconnected if the bills are due. Everyone is equal. It is our responsibility to pay the electricity bills on time.”
He had said that more than the common man, public representatives have a bigger responsibility, “because they are elected and people follow what they do. So, they should behave in such a manner that the people follow their good actions.”
Beniwal said on Monday, “He (Nagar) is talking loudly about disconnecting Hanuman’s connection. I had submitted Rs 2 lakh as settlement money on March 27; settlement is every consumer’s right, and it happens when there is a high electricity bill. But they took Rs 2 lakh and disconnected the electricity bill too.”
“I want to ask Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, are you now going to disconnect the Energy Minister’s connection too?” Beniwal said. Nagar could not be reached for a comment.
