The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM] announced on Wednesday that it would organize a demonstration on July 25, urging the state government to roll back the recent power tariff hike. The party condemned the union government for insisting on increasing tariffs in line with the consumer price index growth, which they argue adversely affects all sections of society.
Key Demands and Resolutions
In a resolution adopted at the party’s state committee meeting, the CPM outlined several key demands and criticisms:
Roll Back Power Tariff Hike: The CPM called on the state government to fulfil its assembly poll promise to introduce a monthly electricity billing system and to rescind the power tariff hike.
New Power Generating Stations: The party urged the state to establish new power generating stations to meet the growing electricity demand.
Reduce Cost of Power Purchases: The CPM highlighted the high costs associated with purchasing power from Adani and demanded steps to reduce these expenses.
Resist Privatization Pressure: The resolution emphasized the need for the state government to resist union government pressure on privatizing the power sector and to ensure the provision of electricity at a reasonable cost for all.
The state committee meeting, which was presided over by secretariat member K Balabarathi, saw the participation of key leaders, including politburo members Prakash Karat and G Ramakrishnan, as well as state secretary K Balakrishnan.
In another resolution, the CPM condemned the state police for recent encounter killings, criticizing the extrajudicial approach as a violation of the rule of law. The resolution specifically referenced the encounters of Thiruvengadam, an accused in the murder of BSP state president K Armstrong, and Durai alias Duraisamy in Pudukkotai.
The party argued that such encounters disregard human life and human rights, calling for a lawful approach to crime prevention. “Crime cannot be prevented