CPM to hold demonstration on July 25 seeking power tariff roll back

CHENNAI: CPM on Wednesday announced that it would hold a demonstration on July 25 urging the state government to roll back the power tariff hike which affects all sections of the people and condemning the union government insisting on hiking the tariff to the extent of the consumer price index growth.

In a resolution adopted at the party's state committee meeting here, the Marxist party demanded the state government to fulfil its promise made during the assembly polls to introduce the monthly electricity billing system.

"The state should set up new generating stations to meet the power requirement. Steps should be taken to reduce the high cost paid to purchase power from Adani. We also demand the state government not to heed the union government's pressure on privatisation and to ensure power supply to all at a reasonable cost, " the resolution said.

The state committee meeting was presided over by secretariat member K Balabarathi and participated by leaders including politburo members Prakash Karat and G Ramakrishnan and state secretary K Balakrishnan.

In another resolution, CPM condemned the state police for the encounter killings by taking the law into their hands.

Pointing to the encounter killings of Thiruvengadam, one of the accused in BSP state president Armstrong's murder case and Durai alias Duraisamy in Pudukkotai, it said that such successive encounters without concern for human life and human rights question the rule of law.

"Crime cannot be prevented through encounters. Strengthening the investigation, and speedy completion of cases and crimes should be dealt with by the law through the Constitution provisions. Moreover, the CPM insists that the police should follow the relevant guidelines given by the National Human Rights Commission and the Supreme Court," it said.