THE Johar Chhattisgarh Party (JCP) on Tuesday staged statewide demonstrations against inflated electricity bills, unannounced cuts, and persistent low-voltage problems. One-day sit-ins were organised at district headquarters across the state, with party leaders accusing the government of exploiting people in the name of power supply. The party demanded restoration of the ‘Bijli Bill Half’ scheme for up to 400 units, rollback of the recent hike in unit charges, and an end to arbitrary loadshedding. Leaders said citizens, already reeling under inflation, were being further burdened by rising power costs and unreliable supply.

 

“Despite being a surplus electricity state, Chhattisgarh suffers daily outages and voltage fluctuations. People are sweating in the heat, crops are threatened, and livelihoods are at risk. The reckless installation of new meters also raises doubts,” JCP leaders said. In the capital, party workers and office-bearers assembled at Rajiv Gandhi Chowk near Motibagh at 10 am before staging a dharna. Following the protest, a memorandum was submitted to the Governor highlighting the party’s demands. District officebearers joined the demonstration, raising slogans against the government’s policies. Raipur district president Gopi Sahu said the hike in electricity bills was unjustified and vowed that the agitation would continue until relief was provided to the common people.

 

“The government must roll back its decision and ensure stable supply,” he said. JCP State President Amit Baghel directly blamed the Chhattisgarh Government for the crisis. “Even when cheap coal, abundant water, and low-cost labour are available in Chhattisgarh, electricity bills here are among the highest. This is nothing but the government’s failure,” Baghel asserted. The party leadership reiterated that it will keep taking the struggle to the masses until corrective measures are taken. Farmers, in particular, have warned of crop damage as irrigation pumps remain inoperative under low-voltage conditions. The JCP said it would continue to mobilise people across districts to press for immediate action and ensure affordable, reliable power for all citizens.