Outside the power department’s office on Gurgaon’s MG Road on Friday, Sushil Sharma joined thousands of electricity employees protesting the entry of a private power distributor in Gurugram and Nuh.

An assistant foreman (technical) in the drawing department and state secretary of the All Haryana Power Corporation Workers’ Union, Sharma fears the move could threaten government jobs and leave consumers at the mercy of a private company.

“Through privatisation, they are finishing government departments and jobs,” he said amid slogans of “Haryana sarkar muradabad (Down with the Haryana government)” and “Parallel licence nahi chalega (A parallel licence will not be tolerated).”

“Look at what happens when the private sector enters education and health — the common man can no longer afford them. This is our worry here, ki voh apne manmaani se salary aur rate teh karenge (that they will decide wages and tariffs on their own).…