A leader of the Boonkar Sangharsh Samiti addresses the weavers in Champanagar on Wednesday. Picture by Amit Kumar

Boonkar Sangharsh Samiti (BSS), an organisation of weavers, on Wednesday pledged a mass movement against the electricity department’s decision to collect 40-year-old power dues.

More than 6,000 weavers, under the BSS banner, assembled at Neelmohi Maidan at Champanagar, around 6km from Bhagalpur. They alleged that the silk industry in Bhagalpur was on the verge of collapse because of the government’s step-motherly attitude towards them.

BSS president Nejahat Ansari said the electricity department imposed heavy dues on the weavers on bills dating back 35-40 years.

Ashfak Ansari, the vice-president of the weavers’ association, said according to rules, the electricity department can disconnect the power supply to a consumer for not paying the dues for three consecutive months.

“In our case, no such norm was followed. Now, all of a sudden, the department is asking us to pay the dues of the bills that date back 40 years. What is the authenticity of the bills that the government is showing now?” Ansari asked.

Addressing the mammoth rally on Wednesday, CPI leader and former Pirpainty MLA, Ambika Prasad, drew similarity with the infamous Bhagalpur riots of 1989 with the present situation of the weavers.

“The problems the weavers faced after the 1989 riots are similar to that of today. Back then they were insecured, today, too they are anxious,” the MLA said.

Prasad said the government is trying to demoralise the weavers by asking them to pay the dues, which would further hamper the growth of the century-old silk industry here.

Pradeep Kumar, a BSS member, said ahead of the 2010 elections, the ruling alliance had declared that old power bills would be exempted. “But the government is now asking us to pay the dues. Imagine what kind of hypocrisy is this,” he added.

Naveen Verma, the principal secretary of the industry department, however, feels that the weavers’ protest is eyewash. “It is a ploy to abstain from paying the old dues. I recently visited Bhagalpur and conducted a meeting with the weavers. I requested them to at least start paying up the dues with small amount. A special counter was opened to collect the old dues. Not a single weaver paid any amount till now,” he said.

The officer said the weavers had previously agreed that they would clear the dues in small sums together with the current bills. Verma added that the government would consider their position if the weavers start paying the old bills simultaneously with the current ones.

Debasish Benerjee, the BSS spokesperson, said since the weavers were not able to pay their old dues, the government should start collecting the present bills only.