LUCKNOW, July 10 -- Power employees in Uttar Pradesh, including regular staff, contract workers and engineers, on Wednesday protested against the proposed privatisation of Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal electricity distribution companies. The protest was part of a nationwide one-day token strike called by the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers, which saw the participation of power men from across the country. In UP, demonstrations were held in all 75 districts as protesters raised slogans against privatisation and demanded immediate withdrawal of the state government's decision. Farmer groups under the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, consumer organisations, and government employee unions joined the demonstrations, warning that if U.P. power workers were harassed, they would also take to the streets. Leaders of key national federations -- including Shailendra Dubey (All-India Power Engineers Federation), RK Trivedi, Mohan Sharma, Sudeep Dutta, Kuldeep Kumar, and Samar Sinha -- jointly condemned the move, terming it "anti-employee" and "against public interest"....