Late night power cuts cause protests in Varanasi

Varanasi, May 5 (UNI) The anger against late night power cuts reached the streets, with denizens holding late night and pre-dawn protests demonstrations across the holy city today.

Protests in the form of 'dharnas' and processions comprising people from all walks of life were reported from Sonia, Sigra, Luxa and Bhelupur areas of the city, in the grip of late night power cuts of four hours starting from 0200 hrs to 0600 hrs.

Raising anti-Uttar Pradesh government slogans like ''Mulayam Singh hosh me aao'' and ''Yeh sarkar nikammi hai'' denizens took to streets and threatened intensifying their stir if late night power cuts were not withdrawn.

''The life in the city has already been worsened by the day time power cuts ranging between six to 10 hours. Now the government wants to destroy our sleep also, but we will teach it a lesson, if it did not amend its irresposible behaviour soon,'' said Sanjay Rai, former deputy mayor and BJP leader in the Sonia locality.

The late night power cuts has forced people to either sleep on terrace or sleep outdoors in public parks and even bylanes near their houses.

The late night power rostering, however, has provided an ideal opportunity to gamblers to indulge in their favourite passtime.

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