The opposition CPI (M) on Tuesday strongly criticized the BJP-led state government over the recent hike in electricity and water tariffs and claimed that the present government has increased the burden on common people and created more difficulties for the people of the state.

Addressing a press conference  at CPI(M) headquarters in Agartala, party secretary and opposition leader Jitendra Chaudhury accompanied by former Power Minister Manik Dey and party leader Ratan Das condemned the recent tariff hikes and announced that the CPI(M) will organize a larger movement against the government’s “anti-people” policies.

The double-engine government is trying to increase the burden on common people by imposing one tax after another and first, they increased the electricity tariff, and now also hiked the water tariff, this is unacceptable, said Chowdhury.

He claimed that due to poor policies and corporate appeasement, once Tripura’s Power department had a proud legacy over power distribution, now its declining.

Earlier, Tripura had the glory of supplying electricity not only to the Northeast but to other states as well as to neighbouring Bangladesh and that glory has been erased under the BJP regime, said Chowdhury.

During the last seven years, BJP has spent crores on flex banners and advertisements trying to paint Tripura as a ‘model state’, while in reality the situation on the ground continues to worsen day by day, said Chaudhury.

Speaking in the press meet, former Power Minister Manik Dey taking a dig at the incumbent Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath said, “Instead of holding a press conference as Power Minister on behalf of the department, he chose to speak from the BJP party office. That itself shows the intention — politicizing government failures. He used that platform to cover up the worsening state of electricity supply and promote the smart meter project, which is nothing but a step toward privatization.

He alleged that the smart meter initiative is aimed at handing over the power sector to private hands, warning that this would further hurt public interests and will increase the suffering of common people.

They urged the people of the state to show their united protest against the recent rising financial burden and they should come forward to protest against continuous attack on the livelihoods of common people.

The CPI (M) has also planned to intensify its agitation against ‘anti-people’ policies of the government across the state.