More than 35,000 people, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], blocked the Mumbai–Delhi National Highway at Charoti in Dahanu, Palghar, Maharashtra, on September 10, protesting the forced installation of smart meters, exorbitant electricity bills and the high-handed behaviour of electricity board officials.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leads massive roadblock
Despite heavy rainfall, the protesters stood firm until electricity board officials gave a written assurance to reduce the electricity bills of the people in the district through a 15-day campaign to begin at all electricity board offices from September 11.
The massive mobilisation saw the participation of AIKS, CITU, AIDWA, DYFI and SFI from Thane and Palghar districts. The protest was led by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Ashok Dhawale, Central Committee member Vinod Nikole, District Secretary Kiran Gahala, State Secretariat member Prachi Hatiwlekar, and other senior leaders.
Protest in Delhi
Another protest was organised by CPI(M) in Delhi. CPI(M) Delhi State Committee held a protest march from Ranjit Flyover to the MCD Headquarters at Delhi Civic Centre, demanding accountability for the seven deaths caused by the collapse of a five-storey building in Satya Niketan on September 6, safe accommodation for students, action against illegal construction, and a time-bound judicial inquiry into the tragedy.
CPI(M) Delhi State Secretary Anurag Saxena, Rajya Sabha MP V Sivadasan, and other senior leaders addressed the public meeting held after the protest march. The leaders said that the tragedy exposes the failure of the MCD’s monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, illegal construction, the acute shortage of student hostels, and cuts in education funding, and demanded an independent investigation into the nexus between PG mafias, builders, contractors, bureaucracy and political patronage. They added that the Union, Delhi Government and MCD are all under BJP rule, and the BJP’s “Triple-Engine” government must be held accountable for the loss of lives and the lack of safe accommodation for students.
The party submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Lieutenant Governor, MCD Commissioner, MCD Mayor and Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, demanding ₹1 crore compensation for each deceased person, relief and free treatment for the injured, compensation for students’ lost belongings and academic materials, adequate hostels in every DU college, structural safety audits in student-dominated areas, action against illegal construction, FIRs against those responsible, a time-bound judicial inquiry into the tragedy and making its report public.