Trade unions protest outside REL AGM

The 75th annual general meeting (AGM) of Reliance Energy (REL) was preceded by high drama with activists of Janata Dal (S) and the Bombay Electrical Workers Union staging protests.

Janata Dal activists were protesting against the tariff of around Rs 4 per unit being charged by REL. They demanded that the company should supply power at the same tariff being charged by BEST.

The Bombay Electrical Workers Union, on the other hand, complained that after the company (formerly known as BSES) was taken over by the Reliance group, people has to work for 12 hours a day and contract labour has also been introduced.

The activists, who wanted to attend the AGM and present their case to the shareholders, were prevented from doing so by the security personnel and the police.

Some of the activists who were also employee-shareholders of the company protested and could make their way into the hall in which the AGM was being held.

Later in the evening an REL spokesman said, "No shareholder was denied entry to the meeting and the contrary claim being made by the representatives of the Bombay Electrical Workers Union is incorrect. In fact, the representatives of the union attended the meeting."