Calling it a "symbolic protest" against the odd-even plan, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Goel, on November 4, violated the traffic rationing scheme by driving an SUV with an odd last digit in its registration number.
Goel termed the initiative "an election stunt" by the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
BJP Vice President Shyam Jaju and other party leaders also accompanied Goel in the SUV which he drove from his residence on Ashoka Road, before being stopped near Janpath by traffic police personnel who challaned him.
Violation of the odd-even rule is punishable with a fine of Rs 4,000.
Goel's car featured slogans that read 'pradushan ki zimmedar Kejriwal sarkar, odd-even hai bekar' and termed the scheme a drama.
"I am doing this as a symbolic protest against the Kejriwal government's failure to do anything in five years to curb pollution in Delhi. It is now enacting a drama and election stunt in view of the coming assembly polls through odd-even scheme," Goel told reporters at his residence.
Later, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot met Goel with a bouquet of flower, urging him not to violate the rule as it was aimed at bringing down pollution. Gahlot said that people of Delhi are following the odd-even rule and that BJP's protest by violating it was wrong.
Goel had also violated the second edition of odd-even plan in April 2016. The fine was Rs 2,000 in earlier two editions of the initiative in 2016.
The scheme was introduced in Delhi by the AAP government in January 2016 to fight high level of air pollution.
This time, the odd-even traffic rationing scheme started at 8.00 am on November 4.
Also read: Odd-even comes into force; Delhi-NCR continues to reel under ‘severe’ air pollution
Under the traffic rationing system, private vehicles with registration numbers ending with an odd digit will be allowed to run on roads on odd dates. Those with even numbers will be allowed on even dates. The scheme is scheduled to end on November 15. However, it could be extended.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) at ITO was at 434 (severe) on November 4 morning, according to the date from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The Centre reviewed the situation in Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab. It asked these states to curb air pollution. Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba was tasked with monitoring the situation on a daily basis.
(With inputs from PTI)
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