Opposition leader R. Siva on Friday accused Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan of “acting against the interests of the Union Territory” in the electricity privatisation issue.
Addressing a joint protest by the Congress, DMK, CPI, CPI (M) and VCK against privatisation of power sector in the Union Territory, the Opposition leader said the Lt. Governor was working in alignment with the Centre to sell the assets of the Union Territory.
“She came and assisted in destabilising a government (referring to resignation of former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy following defection of legislators to BJP). Now, she is helping the Centre to sell a profit-making government entity ( Electricity Department) to a private player. The Lt. Governor is totally working against the interests of the Union Territory,” he claimed.
The government has not given any explanation to justify privatising a profit-making government entity, he said. “The Centre thinks it can experiment anything in Puducherry. The Centre will very soon realise the mistake it has committed as the people of the Union Territory will not allow its assets to be sold to individuals,” he added.
He also accused the Chief Minister N. Rangasamy of maintaining silence on the issue even after people started protesting.
Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee chief A. V Subramanian alleged that the intention behind the privatisation was to sell a profit-making unit to “a preferred business group of the BJP”.
Secretary of Communist Party of India A. M Saleem said the Lt. Governor has no right to make an appeal to the employees of the Electricity Department to withdraw the agitation. "We are going to intensify the agitation in the coming days," he added.
Legislators L. Sambath (DMK), M. Vaithianathan (Congress), Anibal Kennedy (DMK), former Ministers M. Kandasamy, S. P Sivakumar, PCC vice president and AICC co-ordinator P.K Devadoss, CPI (M) Secretary R. Rajangam and CITU All India vice president A. K. Padmanabhan participated in the protest.
Sections of the public staged protests at several places in Puducherry after power supply got disrupted due to the ongoing strike by the employees of the Electricity Department against privatisation. The indefinite strike entered the third day on Friday.
