Patna, March 21:
The Government of Bihar has recently announced the proposal of 50 per cent hike in power tariffs to be effected from April. In the name of good governance the Nitish government has increased the power tariff several times in its six years tenure resulting hikes to two and half times more than it was in the years 2005. If this increment is not prevented this go to 375 per cent in its six years rule.
Assuming the alarming situation it was decided to oppose this unprecedented hike under the banner ‘Mahangi Bijli Virodhi Sangharsha Manch’ (platform of struggle against costly power) comprising 22 left and democratic parties- SUCI (Communist), CPI, CPI(M), MCPI (U), CPI(ML), All India Forward Block, RSP, Janmukti Sangharsha Vahini, Janawadi Lok Manch, Jan Pratirodh Sangharsha Manch, Sarwahara Jan Morcha, Communist Centre of India, CPI(ML)-RS Bhaijee, Janwadi Majdoor Kisan Sabha, Akhil Hind Forward Block (Krantikari), Bihar Pariwartan Morcha, Bharatiya Janwadi Forward Block (Bihar), India Against Corruption, Shram Mukti Sanghatan, Bihar Motor Transport Federation (Auto Union), Samajwadi Jan Parishad, Bihar Jan Kalyan Samiti. On 21st March a massive Dharna was organised before Vidyut Bhawan.
Addressing the dharna of several hundred people coming from different parts of the state Com. Arun Kumar Singh, Senior member, Bihar State Committee, SUCI (Communist) denounced the proposed hike. Dealing with the anti people character of state govt. headed by Nitish Kumar he said that a sinister design had been in operation to privatise power sector splitting the Bihar State Electricity Board into several private companies. Bitterly criticising the JDU-BJP alliance state government for introducing anti people power policy 2003 in the state in order to provide scope to reap maximum profit to the greedy capitalists in power sector he emphasized to build up powerful movement against unprecedented hike in power tariff. Among others who spoke on the occasion were Chakradhar Prasad Singh of CPI, Sarwodaya Sharma of CPI(M), Vijay Kumar Chaudhary of MCPI (U), Arvind Kumar Sinha of CPI(ML), Amerika Mahato of All India Forward Block, Mahesh Prasad Sinha of RSP, Priyadarshi of Janmukti Sangharsha Vahini, Srikant Sharma of Janawadi Lok Manch, R C Prasad of Jan Pratirodh Sangharsha Manch, Ajay Sinha of Sarwahara Jan Morcha, Satish Kumar of Communist Centre of India, Ram Chandra Sahani of CPI(ML)-RS Bhaijee, Ram Chandra Singh of Janwadi Majdoor Kisan Sabha, Balgovind Singh of Akhil Hind Forward Block (Krantikari), N K Nanda of Bihar Pariwartan Morcha, Nripendra Krishna Mahato of Bharatiya Janwadi Forward Block (Bihar), Arun Das of India Against Corruption, Jay Prakash of Shram Mukti Sangathan, Dhirendra Bharati of Bihar Motor Transport Federation (Auto Union), Amendra Kumar of Samajwadi Jan Parishad and Jagdeo Kapdi of Bihar Jan Kalyan Samiti. In order to spread out the movement against excessive hike in power tariff call of Patna Bandh was given on April 12. The dharn was ended with thundering slogans against the anti people power policy.
