Over 27 lakh power sector workers participated in general strike on Wednesday

New Delhi: All India Power Engineers Federation on Wednesday claimed that over 27 lakh power sector workers hit the road across the country to protest against privatisation and anti-labour policies, participating in the general strike called by trade unions.

About one lakh power staff, contract workers, junior engineers and engineers of Uttar Pradesh came out of their work sites and staged a widespread protest against the privatisation of two UP DISCOMS, an All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) statement said.

On the call of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE), about 27 lakh electricity employees from all the provinces of the country have exhibited their solidarity with UP Power Employees by resorting to a one-day strike.

AIPEF Chairman Shailendra Dubey said the privatisation of Purvanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam and Dakshinchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam in Uttar Pradesh should be withdrawn immediately in the larger interest of consumers and employees.

Massive demonstrations were held in Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Bengaluru, Puducherry, Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar, Jabalpur, Raipur, Korba, Bhopal, Kolkata, Guwahati, Shillong, Bhuvneshwar, Ranchi, Patna, Srinagar, Jammu, Shimla, Patiala, Chandigarh Jaipur and Delhi, the statement said.

A nationwide general strike, called by a forum of 10 central trade unions, was observed on Wednesday to protest against privatisation and other policies of the central government.