CHANDIGARH, August 8: Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today criticised the BJP led NDA government at the centre for introducing the Electricity Regulatory Bill in the parliament today.
He said, this was yet another assault on the federal structure of the country as electricity was a state subject.
The PCC president urged the Punjab government to chalk out a strategy against the passage of the bill and assured full cooperation from his party.
He suggested holding of an all party meeting to put up a strong case against the bill as it will have serious ramifications for Punjab.
Warring criticised the BJP government for backing out from the commitment it had made to farmers when they lifted their one year long dharna. He said, not bringing in the Electricity Regulatory Bill was one of the demands of the farmers and the government had agreed to it but had backed out now.
He expressed apprehensions that the ultimate aim of the bill was to do away with the subsidies and handover the power generation and distribution completely to the private players.
The PCC president said, there was still time for the like minded parties to oppose the bill forcefully and prevent its passage in the parliament and the need of the hour was to fight against it unitedly.
He also announced that in case the need be the Congress party will launch a mass agitation against the bill and ensure it is not implemented. He pointed out, had it not been for the Congress government in Punjab which wholeheartedly supported the farmers against three black laws, those may well have been implemented by now. He said, similar agitation against the Electricity Bill will also be launched.
