Guwahati, June 6: Assam Trinamool Congress on Tuesday staged a unique protest here against the recent power tariff hike by the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL).
As a part of the protest, several TMC workers gathered under a giant tree near the party office at Khanapara, “seeking respite from the heat wave and more importantly, saving themselves from paying huge electricity bills.”
The TMC demonstration was also directed at the Assembly Speaker who had recently made a comment on beating the rising mercury levels and keeping power bills in check by “sitting under trees”.
It may be mentioned here that while responding to a media query recently, Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary had said, “As the state does not produce electricity on its own, and as we are dependent on others, we have to combat it. We have to find alternatives by sitting under trees to reduce power bills.”
Terming the Speaker’s comment “irresponsible”, Assam TMC chief Ripun Bora also lambasted the state government for “its failure to address the grievances of the public.”
“The state government has not been able to provide even the basic facilities to the people of Assam. Be it regular electricity supply or water supply, the BJP government has failed on all fronts,” Bora claimed, while demanding that the power woes of the people be addressed immediately.
TMC protesters held placards and raised slogans such as “Stop betraying people with false promises in elections”, “Stop loadshedding, provide 24×7 electricity” and “Stop looting the public in the name of smart meters”.