BJP protests against power-tariff hike in Odisha

The BJP staged a protest in front of the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday against the "unreasonable" hike in electricity prices in the state.

Hundreds of BJP members -- some of them on motorcycles and atop cars -- marched from the Master Canteen in Bhubaneswar to the Assembly, where the monsoon session is underway.

Carrying party flags, the BJP activists raised slogans against the BJD government and demanded rollback of the hike. Some of them even scuffled with the police as they tried to break through the barricades.

"For the past one year, the state government has been burdening the consumers through subsequent tariff hikes of 20 paise and 30 paise," Bhubaneswar BJP president Babu Singh told reporters.

The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) had raised the power tariff by 20 paise in October and 30 paise per unit in April.

During the budget session, Energy Minister D S Mishra had informed the House that the state government would urge the OERC to reconsider the hike.

Singh said it was unfortunate that Mishra could not write to the OERC even after four months, wondering why the minister was "so helpless" in standing with the people.

Singh warned that they would take the agitation to a logical conclusion if the hike was not rescinded.

BJP leader Dilip Mohanty said they came on the streets to protest against the "economical torture" of the BJD government, adding that the party would not tolerate "loot" of the poor people's money.

Mohanty asserted that agitation would be taken to every ward and panchayat, and there would be a "satyagraha'' until the government restored the old rates.