In a shameful display of negligence the MVA Sarkar seems to have lost control of electricity discom Adani Power as it has repeatedly and maliciously cut power to the Dalit Neighborhood of Siddharth Colony since 17th May. It is appalling that in Mumbai the capital of Maharashtra, the state of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar that Dalits are being subjected to such inhuman cruelty. In a press conference along with the residents of Siddharth Colony the Aam Aadmi Party demanded that Adani Power be charged under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Atrocities Act, power be restored & the discom be dismissed as a power supplier for cutting power to those households who have paid their power bills. If the MVA sarkar fails to take immediate and concrete action the Aam Aadmi Party threatened to take to the streets along with residents.
In a written submission to the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray by the Aam Aadmi Party it was pointed out that without getting into details of who has paid their bills or not Adani Power has punished the whole of Siddharth Colony for a few defaulters and they have only had the courage to do so as they know the residents who live there are poor Dalit people and will not be able to fight back. Hence this amounts to an offense under the Prevention of Atrocities Act since they have singled out a community and abused their ability to distribute power. The government is well aware that the nearly 3,500 households of Siddharth Colony have a long standing dispute of unpaid power bills with the electricity company. Many politicians including the local MP Rahul Shewale have failed to resolve this issue. There are three kinds of residents in Siddharth Colony. One, who have been paying their bills right from the start. Two, a bulk of the population who have been paying their bills right from 2019. Three, a few who have sporadically paid or not paid their bills.
“Without getting into details of who has paid their bills or not Adani Power has punished the whole of Siddharth Colony for a few defaulters and they have had the courage to do so as they know the residents who live there are poor Dalit people and will not be able to fight back. Hence this amounts to a Dalit atrocity since they have singled out a community and abused their ability to disperse power.” said AAP Mumbai President and National Executive member Preeti Sharma Menon. “We demand that this matter be resolved and be charged with the Dalit Atrocities Act. They should also be dismissed as a power supplier for cutting power to those households who have paid their power bills.” added Menon.
