DigitEye India Fact Checkers
Amid elections in Delhi for seven Lok Sabha seats on Saturday, May 25, 2024, a video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that the power subsidy given to Delhi-ites by the Kejriwal government is being withdrawn. The video clip shows Delhi minister Atishi Marlena saying that the free power supply facility will be stopped from the next day.
लो भाई उतर गया बुखार😂😂😂people who voted for freebies deserved this. Freebies are a sure recipe for economic disaster✌
याने कल से फोकटगिरी बंद ! @AamAadmiParty का फोकटिया वादा अब चुकाओ बिल ज्यादा ।इसीलिए चुनो मोदी का वादा। @BJP4India pic.twitter.com/nMA182LBaC— Jc Naithani🇮🇳*Modi Ka Parivar (@JcNaithani) May 23, 2024
The claim reads:”People who voted for freebies deserved this. Freebies are a sure recipe for economic disaster.”
It’s known that the Delhi government has been providing 300 units of free electricity for the residents of Delhi and the subsidy has become a bone of contention between political parties in the national capital, where the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) under Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is in power.
The claim has been shared here and here with different remarks and captions.
FACT-CHECK
When we received a request on WhatsApp, we first checked for the official handle of Atishi and AAP handle. Soon we found the original video uploaded by news agency ANI a year ago, in which minister Atishi is heard speaking about the power subsidy. It was posted on April 14, 2023 and not on May 24, 2024, when the electioneering was in full swing.
#WATCH | From today, the subsidized electricity given to the people of Delhi will be stopped. This means from tomorrow, the subsidized bills will not be given. This subsidy is stopped because AAP govt has taken the decision to continue subsidy for the coming year, but that file… pic.twitter.com/lYZ3lJ0Od7
— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2023
The caption of ANI report says, “From today, the subsidized electricity given to the people of Delhi will be stopped. This means from tomorrow, the subsidized bills will not be given. This subsidy is stopped because AAP govt has taken the decision to continue subsidy for the coming year, but that file is with Delhi LG and till the file doesn’t come back, AAP govt cannot release the subsidised bill: Delhi Minister Atishi” and the date shows April 14, 2023.
In the video, Atishi can be heard saying in Hindi that the subsidy file was pending before the Lt Governor of Delhi that caused the delay. However, news reports confirmed that the issue was resolved and the subsidy was to continue until 2025 as per the latest official confirmation.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on April 13, 2024 clarified that electricity, water and bus fare subsidies will continue in Delhi and asked people not to pay attention to statements that the schemes will be stopped as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is in jail.
Hence the claim is false.
Claim: Delhi minister Atishi’s video clip shows her saying Delhi’s power subsidy stops from tomorrow (May 23, 2024).
Conclusion: The claim is false. Minister Atishi’s old video from April 2023 is being shared as recent. Otherwise, free power subsidy will continue until 2025 as per the latest official confirmation.
Rating: Misrepresentation — 
