More than 15 lakh employees and officials of the state are on strike to protest against the proposal of privatizing the electricity department in Uttar Pradesh. Negotiations with the government of the Electricity Staff Joint Struggle Committee failed on Monday, after which the committee announced the agitation in the state today. Around 25 thousand employees will protest in different districts.

On Monday evening, Power Minister Shrikant Sharma had a meeting of office-bearers of Power Employees Joint Struggle Committee, in which the Energy Minister announced the withdrawal of the privatization proposal and signed the MoU. However, there is no consensus between the UPPCL and the electrical staff. 

Despite the instructions of the Energy Minister, the UPPCL Chairman has not signed the MoU. The chairman said that when the process and order of the tender is improved, then we will cancel the proposal for privatization. In such a situation, there is a possibility of deepening the power crisis in Uttar Pradesh. 

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Many cities of the state are immersed in darkness 

Electricity supply is going on in many cities of UP, but there are many cities where the employees stopped power supply before going on strike. Several districts and cities of the state including Deoria, Azamgarh, Barabanki, Gorakhpur, Mirzapur, Mau, Ghazipur are immersed in darkness. 

At the Chandausi power sub-station at Deendayal Nagar in Chandauli, the striking employees had blocked the supply since morning. Not only this, even the names and mobile numbers of the officers and employees written on the office walls were erased so that no consumer or officer could contact. 

Agreement to be followed 

The striking employees said that the government has adopted a dictatorial attitude and decided to hand over the power department in private hands, which is not right. The agreement reached between the government and the committee on 5 April 2018 should be followed. 

In fact, on 5 April 2018, an agreement was signed between the state government and the power department's employees' organizations with energy management. I will not take any decision. 

The right to freedom of expression is considered supreme among fundamental rights. In the absence of this right, it is not possible for a man to develop his personality. The citizens of India enjoy the freedom of expression. 

The right to peace and justice and the right to the conference and the right to hunger strike should be seen as a right, 

It can be postponed only in times of emergency under special circumstances. Employees can make their demands by forming a union. One can go on strike if their demands are not accepted in relation to providing and increasing the basic pay and light traffic resources. Strike is the ultimate weapon of the employees. 

India is a democratic country, so the employees of the Electricity Department were also required to go on strike with the dignity of democracy and not by obstructing road traffic and clashing with the police. It was an act of anarchy that should be condemned. Only through dialogue, the solution in a democracy is there not by troubling others on the streets and causing chaos.