AAP Workers Protest Power Cuts in Punjab, Cops Use Water Cannons

The police has detained AAP MP Bhagwant Mann and MLA Harpal Singh Cheema.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers were dispersed from a protest outside Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's 'Siswan Farm House' by the police, who used water cannons on the protesters.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@AamAadmiParty)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers were dispersed from a protest outside Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh's 'Siswan Farm House' by the police, who used water cannons on the protesters.

The AAP workers were demonstrating against the power cuts in the state.

AAP MP Bhagwant Mann and MLA Harpal Singh Cheema were detained by the police for participating in the demonstration, ANI reported.

The protests come in the run up to the Punjab Assembly elections next year and days after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promised up to 300 units of free electricity per month to each household.

Punjab is witnessing a severe shortage of electricity, forcing the state government to curtail timings of government office operations from Friday, 2 July, and cutting down power supply to high-energy consuming industries.

On 2 July, AAP had urged its workers to 'gherao' the chief minister's farmhouse on Saturday over the issue.

According to IANS, the party blamed the high cost and shortage of power on flawed purchase agreements made by the previous Badal government. It also blamed the private thermal plants and the non-cancellation of the agreements by the present government.

Speaking to IANS, AAP MLA and Youth Wing state president Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer had said, "Like the Badals, the Captain government is also taking bribes from the power companies."