Gadchiroli July 20 (District Correspondent) The people of Vidarbha have well understood the falsehood of the BJP about separate state of Vidarbha. The BJP leaders promised of granting statehood to Vidarbha when they were not in power but as soon as they came into power, they systematically forgot and ignored the issue. The Vidarbhaites will therefore teach a lesson to BJP during the coming elections, warned Mr. Arun Kedar, East Vidarbha President of Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti (VRAS) while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.
Mr. Kedar, along with other office bearers of the Samiti were in the city to attend a workers meeting. After the meeting he addressed the press conference at the Press Club.
Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti has made several agitations so far for raising its demand of separate state of Vidarbha. The ruling BJP has always ignored the demand despite passing a resolution in its national convention in 1996. BJP leaders are playing with the sentiments of Vidarbhaites. Now we have decided that we will not keep quiet until our demand is fulfilled. By the end of this year, we will have the Vidarbha state at any cost. We will go in jail if time comes and will show our strength in 2024 elections, Kedar said.
Mr. Kedar came down heavily on the rising power tariff saying the state government is virtually looting the consumers by charging abundant charges of electricity bills. The states which do not produce electricity also supply the power in very less rates than Maharashtra but the people of Maharashtra have to pay very heavy charges even though we produce the power, he pointed out.
To raise the demand of reducing the power tariff, VRAS will gherao the energy minister at his Nagpur residence on Aug. 9 next. The long march will start from Sanvidhan Chouk and will proceed to the residence of Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, Kedar told. More than 5,000 workers from various parts of Vidarbha region will participate in this agitation, he declared.
VRAS is also opposed to the proposed thermal power stations which are going to spread pollution in the area. Why should the people of Vidarbha bear the pollution when they are not getting power in low rates, he asked.
VRAS will extend its support to the like minded parties favoring Vidarbha state in 2024 elections, Kedar said.
Also present at the press conference were Mr. Mukesh Masurkar, President of youth Front, Ms. Sudhatai Pawde, President of Nagpur district, Tatyasaheb Mate, core committee member, Arvind Bhosle, Arun Munghate, Gadchiroli district coordinator, Rajendrasingh Thakur, district president of Gadchiroli, Amita Madavi, Ghisu Patil Khune, Nseer Jumman Sheikh, Gurudeo Bhopaye and other workers of VRAS.
