'Power games' in TN? BJP goes on protest against first electricity tariff hike in eight years

The BJP on Saturday organised state-wide demonstrations against the proposed hike. The AIADMK has announced a state-wide protest on July 25.
The BJP cadres protesting against the Tamil Nadu government's decision to increase power tariff at Ambattur in Chennai on July 23, 2022.
The BJP cadres protesting against the Tamil Nadu government's decision to increase power tariff at Ambattur in Chennai on July 23, 2022.

CHENNAI: The opposition parties in Tamil Nadu are up in arms against the proposed hike in power tariff announced by the state government.

On Saturday, the BJP organised statewide demonstrations against the proposed hike. The AIADMK too has announced a statewide protest on July 25.

The DMK-led government had on July 18 increased the power tariff for all customers. The hikes ranged from Rs 27.50 (per month) for those using 200 units and below to Rs 1130 for those using between 801-900 units every two months. A hike of Rs 0.65 per unit was proposed for the railways and educational institutions.

To protest these hikes, the BJP in Chennai staged agitations in Ambattur Industrial Estate, District Collectorate and also at Thiruvallur. There were protests in front of district collectorates in other parts of the state.

At Ambattur, the state vice president Karuna Nagarajan, state secretary Satish Kumar, state secretary (women's wing) Jayalakshmi, district city administrators and as many as 200 other party workers participated in the protest.

The New Indian Express spoke to senior BJP functionary, Veera Senthil Kumar who demanded the government rescind its decision.

"We demand the government not to increase the power tariff. People are severely affected in our state. Therefore, when even electricity bill starts to burn the pockets of the consumers people would be badly affected," Senthil Kumar said.

He further added that, "If the state government fails to respond to our demands, the BJP will decide on the next course of action."

The Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji had been quoted by reports as saying that the "Centre had petitioned the state 28 times insisting upon restructuring the power tariff. It said the State would not get central subsidy if the debts were not reduced."

However, the state BJP chief K Annamalai refuted this claim.

BJP functionary MD Venkatesan explained further.

He said, "The central government had allocated Rs 3.03 lakh crore to be distributed to all the states to install smart metres, to install transformers and to maintain power lines that carry electricity from one transformer to another. But the Tamil Nadu government is lying to the people that the central government has asked them to raise the electricity tariff in this way."

He added, "The Tamil Nadu government does not listen to any of the demands and queries proposed by the BJP."

"They have already raised the property tax. We want this hike in power tariff to be cancelled completely. Hence, we request DMK to fulfil the 521 promises made for the people of Tamil Nadu," Venkatesan commented.

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