Vishakapatnam: The steel township saw thousands of agitators gathering at the Trishna Grounds on Monday, in a protest against the central government's plans for privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.
YRSC leader and TTD chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy promised the protesters that the YSRC government would lead the fight. He said the assembly had passed the resolution against the privatization and chief minister Jagan Reddy would talk to the leaders of various parties and put pressure on the central government to abandon the plan.
“Our only agenda is to keep the steel plant as a public sector undertaking,’’ Subba Reddy said.
The Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee, spearheading the agitation, organized the meeting.
Committee chairman and INTUC leader Mantri Rajasekhar said they have blocked the entry of the assets valuer to the steel plant premises. TD leader and former minister Bandaru Aatyanarayana Murthy, Jana Sena leader Siva Sankar and CPI state secretary K. Ramakrishna spoke.
The meeting resolved to fight against the sale process, demand jobs for the displaced persons, a Rs 6,000 crore loan to run the plant’s full capacity, capital restructuring, a tax holiday for five years and filling of 5,000 vacant posts.
Several speakers recalled the history of the steel plant. They said the demand for the steel plant began in 1966 and 32 persons sacrificed their lives and 16,500 farmers gave away their lands for the steel plant. “The struggle began with the resignation of 67 MLAs and 7 MPs. The plant started with a Rs 4,889 crore investment and has expanded to the present value of Rs 3 lakh crore,” the leaders said.
