Chennai: DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop the privatisation of the Salem Steel Plant and protect the livelihood of thousands of workers.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, the DMK leader said “Instead of giving the plant to private entrepreneurs, the government should think positively to sustain and strengthen it by posting administrative experts, putting up a power-generating plant and by starting a rail-coach factory”. He recalled that after DMK founder Anna took over as the Chief Minister, “Awakening Day” was observed throughout the state on 23 July 1967 to draw the attention the centre for the implementation of the Salem Steel Project and Sethu Canal Project.
It had a massive response, as these two projects were the dream projects of the people of TN for a very long time, he said. Though initially the project started as a steel-rolling mill, gradually, it started developing many-fold and became a popular steel project. He said, “When the Salem Steel Plant has been at the zenith of its growth and production, the people of TN are startled to know that the BJP-led Centre has initiated steps to privatise the plant.
