The Bharatiya Kisan Union, Himachal Pradesh, has strongly opposed the steep hike in electricity tariffs for agricultural tubewell connections recently announced by the Himachal Pradesh government.

Himachal Pradesh, Bharatiya Kisan Union President, Aninder Singh Pandher condemning it as an arbitary decision said that this is the first such decision of its kind taken by any Congress-ruled or non-BJP-ruled state, despite the fact that these very states had supported the farmers’ protests in Delhi during the farmers’ movement.

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“Even the present Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government came to power promising to work for the welfare and interests of farmers. However, no concrete action has been taken so far in line with the guarantees made to farmers” he said.

This sharp increase in electricity rates will severely impact the farmers of Himachal Pradesh, especially those in the plains who, due to the lack of maintenance of the old canal system, have installed borewells at their own expense to cope with water shortage, he added.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union will strongly resist this hike and will not allow officials from the Electricity Department to enter fields for meter readings until this decision is withdrawn, he threatened. He urged the Chief Minister to reconsider and roll back this notification.

“Our central leader, Rakesh Tikait, has been informed about the situation, and he will raise this issue with the central leadership of the Congress, particularly Rahul Gandhi, as this move contradicts the party’s stated agricultural policies and promises,” he stated.