Tiruppur: The Tamil Nadu Entrepreneurs Federation has announced that it will take its agitation into the political arena after what it called the failure of eight phases of protests against electricity tariff hikes.
Federation president Muthurathinam said the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission’s steep tariff increase triggered widespread discontent in 2023–24, hitting micro and small enterprises hard. He said more than 500 industry associations across the state came together to run a series of protests under the federation’s banner.
Despite eight rounds of actions—including fasting, demonstrations and human-chain protests—the state government did not respond to their demands, he alleged, adding that no time was allotted even for a meeting. He also pointed to sharp property tax increases that, he said, pushed up building rents and further affected shopkeepers, small manufacturers and other business segments.
According to the federation, higher rents and power bills have raised production costs and created a situation where small units could be forced to shut down. It also expressed concern over new restrictions on the use of solar power.
Muthurathinam said the federation is now coordinating statewide for a “one-finger revolution” in the upcoming Assembly election, aiming to reflect the protest through votes and “teach the DMK a lesson.”
