Odisha farmers take out rally against power sector privatisation, demand Free Electricity – EQ Mag
Agitating farmers demanded free electricity, claiming that they are the backbone of the state’s economy and that the state government should prohibit power distribution firms from exploiting them.
New Delhi : Farmers on Monday staged a protest against the state government in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, seeking to roll back the privatisation of electricity. They also demanded free electricity for farmers for agricultural purposes in the state.
A video shared by ANI showed the farmers breaking through the police barricade as the police personnel deployed at the protest site tried to stop them.
In the protest, the Odisha farmers, united under the banner of Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS), held placards and shouted slogans against the state government and Tata Power, which has been entrusted with power distribution in the state, according to the news website Odisha Bytes.
Agitating farmers demanded free electricity, claiming that they are the backbone of the state’s economy and that the state government should prohibit power distribution firms from exploiting them.
According to Odisha Bytes, Akshaya Kumar, NKS national convener and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), accused the private company of exploiting the farmers by collecting high electricity bills and demanded that the state government keep the power distribution with it.
During his speech at the rally, the NKS leader cited the Telangana administration, which provides free power to farmers, and accused the Odisha government of doing little in this regard.
“We are fed up with the exploitation by Tata Power. So we are here just to caution the government. The Tata Power should be removed and like Andhra and Telangana, farmers in the state should be provided electricity free of cost,” demanded Akshaya Kumar, Odishatv.in reported.
“We will intensify our protest across Odisha and the government will be responsible for this. If our demands are not met, then farmers will get their new government,” Kumar added.
Source: PTI
