Andhra Pradesh: Narayana calls for another struggle against electricity reforms on the lines of Basheerbagh agitation

‘CPI workers should be prepared to break the smart electricity meters proposed to be installed to agricultural pumpsets’

Communist Party of India (CPI) national secretary K. Narayana has called upon the party cadre to be prepared for another struggle against the electricity reforms, being implemented by the Central and the State governments, drawing inspiration from the Basheerbagh agitation against hike in power tariff during the Chandrababu Naidu rule.

Addressing the participants at the valedictory of the 27th State conference of the party here on Sunday, Mr. Narayana called upon the Left party workers and leaders to be prepared to break the smart electricity meters, proposed to be installed to agricultural pumpsets. Saying that agitations were not new to the Left parties, he said that the party leaders and workers should change the strategies of the struggles in tune with the changes coming in society and this change should start from the party leaders.

He said that sufficient priority should be given to the younger generation joining the party. The activities of the party could be propagated through social media. Efforts should be made to strengthen the new trade unions. He said that the Left parties were the only solution to oppose the fascist rule of the BJP and for protection of the Constitution. He spoke at length on the latest political developments at the national-level and in the State, the role of the party, the functioning of people’s organisation and various other issues.

The meeting paid tributes to the martyrs, who were killed in the Basheerbagh (Hyderabad) police firing on August 28, 2000. The party leaders garlanded a portrait of the victims.

CPI national general secretary D. Raja, CPI State secretary K. Ramakrishna, assistant secretaries J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy and Muppalla Nageswara Rao, secretariat members Ravula Venkaiah, P. Harnadh Reddy, National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) general secretary Annie Raja and senior leader of the party Manam Anjaneyulu were among those who participated.