During last few months, most of the districts of state witnessed power cut from 12 to 16 hours everyday forcing people to come out in open and resort to dharna and gherao of local officials. People's revolt in almost every district over the issue of power and drinking water had become routine. But it became political when people of VIP constituency Amethi represented by none other than AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi came out on streets and held dharna and gherao.

The local police not only resorted to lathi charge but also humiliated women and children and broke open doors of several houses and forced people to come out in open and then they were subjected to torture. As soon as the news of police atrocities on residents of Amethi became public, UPCC President Rita Bahuguna Joshi rushed to Amethi and met victims especially women and demanded action against guilty policemen. There was complete bandh in Amethi on July 14 to protest against brutal lathi-charge on peaceful agitators by the police which lodged cases against more then 200 persons including local businessmen and women.

Back in Lucknow CLP leader Mr Pramod Tewari met the Governor TV Rajeshwar and apprised him of the situation. CLP leader said that lathi charge on peaceful agitators was nothing but Maya's way to settle score with Rahul Gandhi's voters. Tewari said the lathi-charge on peaceful agitators was unprovoked and throughout the day none from administration came to receive the memorandum prepared by the local people of the Amethi.

CLP leaders charged that non-Congress governments since 1989 were not able to add single unit of power to the power generation in the state. Tewari said that Mayawati was acting in vindictiveness to punish voters of Rahul Gandhi. He said the whole misuse of power crisis and vindictive attitude of the Mayawati government would be raised in forthcoming session of UP legislature. Union Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal also said that Mayawati government should improve power situation or state would face civil war like situation.

Samajwadi Party national President and former chief minister Mulayam Singh also expressed concern on power crisis in the state and said it was duty of state government to ensure better power supply to the people.

Governor TV Rajeshwar finally intervened and asked the Home secretary to rush to Amethi for an on-the-spot inquiry and suggest the action. Although Home secretary avoided visiting Amethi but the government was forced to increase power supply in the VIP constituency. The home secretary avoided going to Amethi but government increased the power supply in VIP constituency. Now Amethi would get 12-hour supply.

On the other hand, BSP termed the violence at Amethi as a Congress conspiracy to take political mileage from the shortage of water and power in the state. BSP spokesman said that present power crisis in the state was legacy of previous governments that ruled for four decades in the state. Putting entire blame on the centre BSP said that UPA government should find out the solution for the crisis.

Instead of taking action against the guilty policemen in Amethi the chief minister Mayawati shot letter to Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh urging him to give UP bigger share in coal allocation. Mayawati said in her letter that since UP was power deficit state, it required allocation of a Ultra Mega Power Project.

Mayawati in her letter also mentioned since UP is a landlocked state it should be given preference in allotment of coal linkage/coal blocks/gas linkages to power states that have no coastal area. In her letter the chief minister said the average per capita consumption of power in UP was 340 units while national average was 672 units. (IPA)