People's Democracy

(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)


Vol. XXVIII

No. 25

June 20, 2004

DELHI

CPI(M) Opposes Hike In Power Tariff

 

THE residents of Delhi have been rudely shocked by the unwarranted and steep increase in power tariff. The CPI(M) Delhi state committee strongly condemned the upward revision in electricity tariffs announced by the Congress government and demanded immediate withdrawal of the hike. “This is how the Congress government in Delhi has rewarded the people of Delhi for repeatedly voting for Congress in the municipal, assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Periodic upward revision of power tariff has become routine and regular after privatisation of power distribution”, felt the CPI(M) in a statement issued on June 11.

 

Identifying theft of power by those who are patronised by both the BJP and the Congress as the crux of the power problem, the CPI(M) observed that the government lacked the political will to punish the guilty and instead was penalising the honest consumers by hiking power rates from time to time.

 

The Delhi state committee demanded immediate withdrawal of the increase in power rates and initiation of steps to reverse privatisation of power in Delhi. It said this hike was an attack on the people of Delhi, contrary to the promises to provide relief to the people of Delhi made by the Congress party during the Lok Sabha elections. (INN)