Agartala, 6th July 2026: Pradesh Congress spokesperson Prabir Chakraborty on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led state government, accusing it of pushing “anti-people” policies in the power sector while addressing a mass sit-in demonstration organised by the Tripura Pradesh Congress in front of the Swami Vivekananda statue at North Gate, Agartala.
Beginning his address with an appeal for peaceful democratic protest, Chakraborty said, “What is there to fear? Our struggle is a peaceful struggle. We are the National Congress and carry the flag of non-violence. We do not believe in revenge; we believe in transforming people for the welfare of the country and the state.”
Tracing the evolution of India’s electricity sector, he said electricity had remained a luxury before Independence but became the backbone of national development under the vision of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. According to Chakraborty, Nehru’s Electricity Act recognised power as essential for agriculture, industry, education, healthcare, infrastructure, science and technology, ensuring electricity remained affordable and accessible through subsidies for households and developmental sectors.
The Congress leader alleged that the Tripura State Electricity Corporation is currently burdened with nearly Rs 2,000 crore in debt due to financial mismanagement. Challenging the state’s Power Minister to a public debate, he claimed that official records would show the Corporation’s losses increasing year after year. He further alleged that while the state government had injected ₹322.60 crore into the Corporation over the past four years, apart from assistance received from the Centre, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Ministry of DoNER, electricity tariffs had been increased more than two-and-a-half times since 2018 despite the addition of nearly two lakh new consumers. He also criticised three tariff hikes implemented within the last two months, describing them as evidence of the government’s “anti-people and hostile attitude.”
Responding to criticism over the corporatisation of the power sector, Chakraborty maintained that the reforms introduced during the UPA government under former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh were intended to improve service delivery, control tariffs, curb corruption, and ensure transparent utilisation of funds. He argued that corporatisation was never meant to pave the way for privatisation, while alleging that the present government was using it to dismantle public welfare in the electricity sector.
