Priyanka demands halving of electricity rates for farmers in UP
New Delhi: Voicing concern over alleged irregularities in electricity billing in Uttar Pradesh, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday urged the Yogi Adityanath government to act against those responsible for it and demanded that the rate of power for farmers be halved immediately.
The Congress general secretary in-charge Uttar Pradesh also demanded that relief be given to weavers, artisans, and small-scale industries in electricity consumption.
In a statement, she said that there was a "terror" of rising electricity bills and of meters in the whole of Uttar Pradesh.
Noting there has been a big rise in electricity rates in the last few years, Priyanka Gandhi said that in the last eight years, the rates for rural household consumers have increased by 500 percent, urban domestic electricity rates have risen by 84 percent and for farmers, the rates have increased by 126 percent.
She said Uttar Pradesh has become a "laboratory" for electricity meters which have been found to run many times faster than they should.
Even in houses that are locked, a bill of up to Rs seven-eight thousand is coming, she alleged.
In many districts of the state, it was also seen that bills came without electricity meter being installed, she said.
The public is already reeling due to price rise, the business of small enterprises has collapsed, farmers' crops are not being sold, they are not getting help in the event of floods, hailstorms, and natural disasters, crop insurance scheme has become a source of income for big companies, and in such a situation, electricity prices are constantly increasing and consumers can no longer bear the brunt of irregularities, Priyanka Gandhi said.
She said that in the COVID-19 pandemic, what should have happened was that people should have been given relief by reducing the rates of electricity in a big way.
Electricity bills of farmers should have been waived and weavers-artisans, small-scale industries should have been given concession in electricity bills.
She demanded that the electricity rates for farmers be halved, the truth about irregularities in metering be brought to the fore, those responsible for it be punished and weavers-artisans, as well as small-scale industries, be given relief in electricity consumption.
Later, in a tweet, Priyanka Gandhi lashed out at the Uttar Pradesh government over the alleged arrest of farmers in Saharanpur for stubble burning.
"Are only farmers responsible for pollution? When will action be taken against those who are really responsible for pollution?" she said.
"Farmers' vote -- legal, farmer's paddy -- legal, farmers' straw -- illegal?" she tweeted.
Priyanka Gandhi also thanked Congress workers for ensuring the release of farmers allegedly arrested in Saharanpur.
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Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India calls current situation 'no war, no peace'
Bengaluru (PTI): Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi on Saturday characterised the ongoing tensions between his country and the Israel-US alliance as a state of “no war, no peace”.
Calling for an immediate halt to the conflict, he said the global stability hinges on those who initiated the war.
He questioned why countries affected by the war and suffering from the energy crisis are not pressuring the US and Israel to stop the aggression.
Addressing a press conference here, Ilahi said Iran did not want the conflict, but was compelled to respond amid continued attacks, even as negotiations were expected to continue.
"Iran didn't want this war, but Iran was forced by the war and several times Iran tried to avoid this war... I don't know what is the condition of these people and these countries (US-Israel)... they want to impose on other countries what they want, and who gave them this authority?" he questioned.
Recalling the negotiations Iran held in Oman, he said talks later moved to Geneva and made progress before being disrupted by sudden attacks.
Ilahi claimed that airstrikes and missile attacks led to the deaths of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ministers, commanders and civilians.
"They killed a lot of civilians… They attacked a primary school, and they killed 175 innocent girls," he said, claiming over 4,000 deaths, more than 40,000 injuries, and widespread damage to houses, hospitals, universities and public infrastructure.
Despite these losses, he said Iran resisted calls for “unconditional surrender” and stood firm and defended itself.
"They wanted unconditional surrender. Which no one—no one can accept it. Iran said, 'Okay, we are ready to be sacrificed,' but we are not ready to submit ourselves," he added.
He argued that they (US-Israel) proposed the current ceasefire only after realising that they could not achieve any of their objectives after 40 days of conflict.
The envoy further claimed that the ceasefire is not an actual ceasefire, but a “no war, no peace” situation.
Explaining the current situation in Iran, he said conditions remain stable and people are going about their daily lives.
"They are working ....(leading) their ordinary life. They are working—they're going farming and they do everything....and they aren't scared of anything. And they are ready to defend themselves," he added.
Addressing the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, he said the situation was stable before February 28 and all countries benefited from it.
"(For) 10,000 years, the Strait of Hormuz was open...and Iran daily yearly spent a lot for providing security in the Strait of Hormuz... so no one even complained anything about the Strait of Hormuz. Everyone was free...and even our enemies their warship was passing through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
However, he linked the current maritime instability to the actions of the US and Israel.
"So Iran cannot do anything. Those people who initiated, created and started this war, they have to stop it. And everything will go back to normal," he said.
Criticising the mentality of the "great powerful country", Ilahi said, "they think they have the right to do whatever they want. It should change."
He sought to know why the countries affected by the conflict are not exerting pressure on the US and the "Zionist" regime to halt the war.
"Why are they not asking them? This crisis and problem by which a lot of countries are affected was created by them. A lot of factories are closed and even working days in some countries reduced... A lot of restaurants are closed," he said.
Seeking fairness and justice, Ilahi said instead of asking Iran, all those nations should ask those who initiated this war to stop it, by telling them, "we are suffering."
To a query on international mediation, Ilahi, referring to the US, asked, "Is it acceptable and reasonable that one country orders all countries -- you should not deal with this country, You should not purchase from this country. You should not have business with this country. You should not buy from this country."
Ilahi also highlighted Iran's long-standing ties with India and said, "It is a great country and we respect India and Indians."
"We have 5,000 years relationship and friendship. We are connected to India by education, by philosophy, by culture, by civilisation and by the economy," he said.
According to him, the bilateral cooperation remains strong, citing diplomatic engagement.
"At the moment also, our relationship, collaboration, cooperation with India is very good," he said, adding Iran allowing Indian ships to pass through Strait of Hormuz reflects the ties.
"Iran allowed Indian ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Why? A lot of countries couldn't get this permission?... The relationship between Iran and India is very good," he added.
He expressed confidence that in future too, the ties between Iran and India will be strong.
