TDP workers stage a dharna at Gaganpahad power sub-station in Rangareddy district, in protest against the hike in the power tariff.
Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and hundreds of TDP workers were arrested by the police on Wednesday, after they staged a dharna at Gaganpahad power sub-station in Rangareddy district, in protest against the hike in the power tariff.
Addressing the gathering, Naidu said that the steep hike in the power tariff would place an additional burden on the domestic consumers, particularly the poor and the middle class. He demanded that the government revoke its decision immediately.
Naidu said that the Congress government, in spite of its poll promise of not increasing the power tariff, affected the hike thrice since 2009. The 3 hikes have placed an additional burden of Rs. 3,700 crore in 2010, Rs. 1,700 crore in 2011 and Rs. 4,475 crore on in 2012, on consumers, he said.
Naidu said that the state government's whopping arrears of Rs. 17,000 crore to DISCOMS, towards free power and subsidy dues, have led to the present predicament in the power sector.
He said that his party must take the credit for streamlining the power sector while generating surplus power despite giving agriculture 9 hours of power and villages and towns 24 hours of power, during its 9-year tenure.
Naidu claimed that the TDP had never failed to supply 9 hours of power to farmers despite 3 successive years of drought.
He said that the state government's lack of vision was responsible for the present power crisis.
Stating that the power crisis was severe in the rural areas, particularly in villages, Naidu stressed the importance of the generation of power for the growth of industries and for creating employment opportunities to a vast number of unemployed youth.
He also slammed the government for burdening people in the name of service tax.
Taking a dig at YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy, Naidu challenged him to disclose properties that he and his family members have possessed since 2004. He alleged that Jagan had accumulated wealth through illegal methods, and that he had misused the official position of the then chief minister YSR.
After arresting Naidu and other party activists, the police shifted them to Shamshabad police station. (INN)