Karnal, October 21 (Praveen Walia):- Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) state president Rattan Mann, targeting the BJP government, said that if it did not immediately announce the withdrawal of its decision to hand over the power sector to private entities, the BJP should be prepared to face the consequences. He said the government’s decision had sparked widespread resentment among the public.
On Wednesday, at a Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat held at Maratha Bhawan in Dadupur Rodan, participants raised slogans against the BJP government and voiced their opposition to the privatisation of the power sector. Copies of the notification issued by the state government were also burnt on the occasion. The Mahapanchayat was conducted by state organisational secretary Sham Singh Mann. Senior BKU farmer leader Prem Chand Shahpur and Core Committee Chairman Yashpal Rana were present as special guests. Farmers from the villages of Kheri Naru, Ghoghripur, Katlaheri, Shahpur, Augand and Dadupur participated in the Mahapanchayat.
Rattan Mann said that the Power Department had been built with the money of farmers and labourers. Therefore, private companies would not be allowed to take control of the department under any circumstances. Refuting the government’s claims, Mann said the government was asserting that transferring the Power Department into private hands would greatly benefit consumers. He said this was merely an attempt to mislead the public.
In his address, farmer leader Rattan Mann announced that the union would strongly oppose the licensing of private companies for electricity distribution, the implementation of the smart meter scheme and the formation of Agri-Discoms against the interests of farmers. He also appealed to all categories of electricity consumers to join the movement.
Former BKU president Ram Singh Dadupur, farmer leaders Nafe Singh Tawde, Hissam Singh, Mehar Singh, Baburam, Sher Singh Kashyap, Isham Singh and Surat Singh, along with a large number of farmers and labourers, were present on the occasion.
Dadupur BKU Committee Formed
A BKU committee was formed in village Dadupur. Karmbir Singh, Baburam Pehalwan, Satpal, Mohar Singh, Gyan Chand, Baliram, Subhash, Jasbir Singh and Jai Prakash were included in the committee. Baburam Pehalwan and Karmbir Singh, who joined the committee, assured that the village would actively contribute to the movement.
