Farmers hit the streets in Shivamogga, Hassan, and Chikkamagaluru on Tuesday opposing the draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Terming the Bill anti-people, the protesters said the Union government had proposed to privatise production of power and its distribution, and such measures would help the private companies, leaving residential and agricultural consumers with losses.
Members of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office Shivamogga. H.R. Basavarajappa, general secretary of the forum, said the Centre has been bringing in anti-people and anti-farmer policies. He added that the proposed Bill would also bring in drastic changes to power production and distribution. “The private players will give priority to industrial and commercial users of power, ignoring the residential and agricultural consumers,” he said.
Farmers staged a protest in Hassan under the leadership of KRRS State vice-president Anekere Ravi. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Ravi said the BJP would pay a heavy price if it went ahead with the privatisation of energy production. He said the government should look into the theft of power by influential people and industrialists. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.
In Chikkamagaluru, farmers, under the leadership of D.R. Duggappa Gowda and Dayakar, submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner against the proposed Bill. They claimed that once private companies are allowed to play a major role in the energy sector, the consumers would have to pay the bills in advance to get services. They urged the Centre not to table the Bill in Parliament.