BJP Slams Cutting Of Internet Cables By TGSPDCL

Telangana State BJP President N Ramchander Rao on Wednesday urged the Congress government to provide alternative facilities, such as optic fibre connectivity, to cable operators instead of resorting to harsh measures like cutting existing cable networks.

He said that the neighbouring Karnataka government had been extending optic fibre connections to cable operators and collecting nominal rent, which not only supported the operators but also ensured uninterrupted services to customers.

Rao said that the incident on Sri Krishna Janmashtami at Ramanthapur in the city was unfortunate, but criticised the government's decision to indiscriminately cut cable wires across various areas in Hyderabad. He said that the action had directly impacted the livelihoods of around 1.5 lakh cable operators and staff, and indirectly affected lakhs of families dependent on the industry.

Assuring his support to the affected cable operators, Rao said that the BJP would stand by the representatives of the Internet Service Providers Association and small-scale cable operators, and that the party would extend full support to the protest program scheduled for tomorrow at Indira Park, organised by the Telangana Internet Service Providers Association and small-scale cable operators.

Earlier in the day, representatives of the association had met Rao at his residence in Tarnaka and explained the severe hardships they were facing due to the government's unilateral action.