Agra MP arrested for protesting power cuts

AGRA - Rama Shankar Katheria, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Agra city, was Monday arrested while protesting against power supply shortage and alleged mismanagement by the distribution corporation.

The police picked him up as he was about to begin his two-day fast at the headquarters of the Dakshinanchal Vidhyut Vitran Nigam Ltd., (DVVNL) after heated arguments between the employees and the party workers.

The staffers flooded the whole area where the MP was to begin his fast and later the police uprooted his tent. Police justified his arrest as there was clear apprehension of disturbance of public peace. The MP and half a dozen party workers were taken to the police lines.

Katheria told media persons he would continue to fight for the people of the Taj city. “Despite Supreme Court orders of uninterrupted power supply to Agra, the city was experiencing endless breakdowns and unscheduled cuts,” he said.

For the past several months Agra has been experiencing power break downs. The Supreme Court in the 1996 judgement on MC Mehta PIL had directed that the whole of Taj Trapezium Zone should get uninterrupted power supply. But till date this has remained on paper.