Old Video of Delhi Minister Atishi ‘Cancelling’ Power Subsidy Viral as Recent

The video is not recent as claimed, and dates back to a press conference held by Atishi on 14 April 2023.

The video of Atishi talking about the electricity subsidy is from April 2023 and is not recent.

(Source: Altered by The Quint)

A video of Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi's Power Minister, Atishi Marlena, announcing the 'termination' of the free electricity subsidy scheme in New Delhi is going viral on social media.

• In the video, the minister can be heard saying that tomorrow onwards, the subsidy scheme will not be applied to "new electricity bills, starting tomorrow."

What are the users sayings?: The video is being shared to claim that the statement was made recently, amid the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

• Those sharing the video are asking people to vote carefully.

An archive of this post can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

(Archives of more claims can be seen here, here, and here.)

What is the truth?: This video has been clipped from a press conference held on 14 April 2023, and is not related to the 2024 general elections.

• In 2023, Atishi spoke about the electricity subsidy being stopped in Delhi, due to a tiff between the state's AAP government and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena.

How did we find out the truth?: Team WebQoof had published a fact-check on the same clipped video in 2023, when it was being shared with misleading context.

• We ran a reverse image search using Google, which led us to a X (formerly Twitter) by news agency ANI, carrying updates from an AAP press conference.

• The thread carried the same visuals, and was shared on 14 April 2023.

• We also found news reports related to the press conference by India Today and Mint, also published in April 2023.

(Source: Mint/Altered by The Quint)

The subsidy issue: In the conference, Atishi called out LG Saxena's office for holding up files related to the subsidy scheme.

• She said that funds for the scheme could not be release without clearance from the LG's end, and that she was unable to set an appointment with him.

• After this press conference, the LG's office dismissed her statements, claiming they were misleading and false.

• Later that day, the free electricity subsidy scheme was extended for the year 2023-24, with LG Saxena's approval.

Conclusion: The video dates back to April 2023 and is not related to the ongoing general elections.

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