Calling the 10-year vehicle ban a direct attack on Delhi’s middle class, women, and elderly, senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Delhi Assembly Atishi slammed BJP for hiding behind court drama to dodge responsibility. She demanded a new law within a week and warned that BJP’s sham letters to its own agencies and failure to act would expose its nexus with car makers and scrappers.
Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Delhi Assembly, Atishi, stated, “In the past six months, the BJP government has left no stone unturned in harassing Delhi’s middle class. Ever since the BJP came to power in Delhi, the middle class has been struggling with long power cuts, rising electricity bills, and spiraling private school fees. Now, a blanket ban on 10-year-old vehicles has thrown the entire middle class into panic.”
Highlighting the everyday aspirations of Delhiites, Atishi added, “It’s every middle-class family’s dream to save up and, through a 5 to 7-year loan, buy a small second-hand car. But the BJP’s so-called ‘four-engine government’ has never ensured safety for women, which is why they’re forced to buy vehicles—because public transport is unsafe. Women routinely face harassment in buses and trains. And, the BJP has even removed marshals from buses. With no police presence, women can’t safely walk the streets, or get home from metro stations and bus stands.”
Pointing to another vulnerable group, the Delhi Assembly LoP continued, “Senior citizens buy cars because they need safety and security. If they must travel at odd hours, they need a reliable mode of transport. It’s always the middle class, women, and the elderly who opt for second-hand vehicles. But BJP’s arbitrary 10-year vehicle ban completely ignores their needs. They haven’t considered whether a car has run 50,000 kilometers or 2 lakh, whether it’s well-maintained or polluting. Instead, BJP has colluded with car scrappers, manufacturers, retailers, and dealers—forcing 62 lakh families to buy new cars and two-wheelers.”
Ridiculing BJP’s tactics, she said, “When Delhi’s people protested, BJP resorted to pure theatrics. Their environment minister claimed he was writing a letter to the Commission for Air Quality Management in National (CAQM). It reminded me of the film Karthik Calling Karthik, where the character keeps calling himself. That’s what the BJP is doing—writing letters to itself.”
“BJP’s Delhi government is writing to the CAQM under BJP’s central government, asking them to listen. Then CAQM will hold a meeting and reply to that same letter. This is 100% fraud. If BJP really wanted to revoke the ban, they could have—but instead they’re busy playing a letter-letter drama straight out of ‘Karthik Calling Karthik’,” added the senior AAP leader.
Exposing BJP’s stance about legal recourse, Atishi shared that now BJP says they’ll go to the Supreme Court. Suddenly, they have newfound faith in the court? This is the same BJP that brought in an ordinance within 8 days to overturn the Supreme Court’s Constitution Bench verdict on Delhi services that came after 8 years.
“But when it comes to middle-class families, women, and the elderly, they’re claiming their hands are tied by the court. The truth is—they want the Supreme Court to dismiss their plea, so that the Chief Minister can say ‘It’s the court’s order.’ They do the same when demolishing jhuggis—never disclosing that it was they who went to court seeking that very order,” she asserted.
Calling the entire policy a scam, Atishi said, “BJP’s handling of the 10-year-old vehicle issue is nothing short of a fraud. Writing to CAQM is just BJP writing to itself. If they wanted to take a real decision, they would have by now. Even their move to the Supreme Court is just to get the case dismissed so they can hide behind a legal ruling.”
“AAP demands that a proper law be brought immediately to protect the middle class, women, and senior citizens—who are now under the constant threat of vehicle seizures, fuel cuts, being stranded, or being forced into lakhs of rupees in unexpected expenses. Only legislation can remove this sword hanging over their heads,” she asserted.
Issuing a clear demand to the BJP, the Delhi Assembly LoP said, “We demand that within the next week, the BJP must bring a law to protect 10-year-old vehicles. Whether it’s through an ordinance or a special session of the Delhi Assembly, the Opposition will fully support it. If they want to convene the Assembly tomorrow or pass an ordinance to safeguard these vehicles, the Opposition is ready. But if no law is passed, this threat will remain—and the Supreme Court will keep dismissing their pleas. Only a new law will compel the court to reconsider. We urge the BJP: stop the theatrics, and bring a law next week.”
Concluding with a sharp indictment of BJP’s political intent, Atishi said, “BJP has a four-engine government in Delhi: MCD, Delhi Government, Police, CAQM, and the Central Government—all theirs. Just like they brought an ordinance in 8 days against the Supreme Court’s services verdict, they can bring a law now. If their legal advisors say it won’t pass through the Delhi Assembly, they can do it through Parliament or bring an ordinance from the Centre. If they fail to bring a law to protect the middle class, women, and elderly, it will become crystal clear that they’re in cahoots with car manufacturers, dealers, and scrappers. Delhiites are watching—and they will not forget.”
