The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Puducherry unit led a massive rally on Tuesday in protest of the Puducherry government's proposal to install prepaid electricity meters. The rally, which was inaugurated by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Comrade G Ramakrishnan and led by CPI(M) State Secretary Comrade R Rajangam, saw over 600 activists participate.
The protesters submitted a petition with 1 lakh signatures to Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, urging him to scrap the proposal. They argued that prepaid meters would put an undue burden on the poor and middle class, as they would have to recharge them on a regular basis, regardless of their electricity consumption.
"The government is trying to impose this policy on the people without taking their consent," said Comrade Ramakrishnan. "Prepaid meters will lead to an increase in electricity bills and make it difficult for poor families to meet their basic needs."
The CPI(M) is not the only party opposed to the prepaid meter proposal. The Congress party and several other opposition parties have also come out against it.
The Puducherry government has defended the proposal, saying that it will help to reduce electricity consumption and improve revenue collection. However, critics argue that the government has not done enough to educate the public about the benefits of prepaid meters and that the policy will be difficult to implement.
It remains to be seen whether the Puducherry government will go ahead with the prepaid meter proposal. The CPI(M) has vowed to continue its protests until the government scraps the plan.
The rally was a major show of strength for the CPI(M) in Puducherry. It is a sign that the party is prepared to fight for the rights of the people and will not hesitate to take to the streets to make its voice heard.
