Karnataka: Villagers Refuse To Pay Electricity Bill Citing Congress' Pre-Poll Promise Of 200 Units Free Power

A video of villagers in Karnatka's Chitradurga district allegedly refusing to pay their electricity bill due to Congress' election promise of giving 200 units free has gone viral on social media.

The party in its Karnataka election manifesto has announced five 'guarantees', including offering every household 200 units of power every month.

During the campaigning for the 10 May Assembly elections, Congress promised to give approval for these guarantees on the first day of assuming power in the State.

In the purported video, people are seen sitting on a platform under a peepal tree.

"We won't pay," a villager is heard telling electricity bill collector Gopi.

"You have to pay the bill this month. Let’s see what the government says," Gopi tells them, to which the villagers respond, "What can the government say?", reports Hindustan Times.

Gopi assures that the electricity department will provide free power if the government promises it.

"We will not pay. They (Congress) have said electricity is free, it will be free only," another villager responds. To this, the bill collector says if the government order comes then electricity will be made free.

Arguing with him, the villagers asked him to talk to the Congress party about the bill.

"You collect from them (Congress), not us. We will not pay the bill," says one villager and asks others sitting there not to pay either.