'Collect from Congress': Karnataka villagers refuse to pay electricity bill

Karnataka: In a purported video surfacing on the internet, a group of villagers can be seen allegedly refusing to pay their electricity bill citing Congress' pre-poll promise to give 200 units for free. While gearing up for the Karnataka polls, the grand old party highlighted its five 'guarantees' including the offer of 200 units of power a month to every household.

During campaigning, Congress repeatedly said it would give a stamp of approval for these 'guarantees' in the maiden cabinet meeting on the first day of its assuming power in the State.

Villagers refused to pay electricity bill 

"We won't pay," a villager was heard telling electricity bill collector Gopi in the purported video where people are seen sitting on a platform under a peepal tree.

The bill collector then tells them, "You have to pay the bill this month. Let’s see what the government says," to which the villagers respond, "What can the government say?"

Collect from Congress

Gopi tells them if the government says it will give free power, then the electricity department will follow suit. "We will not pay. They (Congress) have said electricity is free, it will be free only," another villager replies. To this, the bill collector says if the government order comes then electricity will be made free.

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

(with inputs from PTI)