Vizag steel plant privatisation plan triggers huge protests

Labour unions and all-party leaders took out a massive rally to the Vizag Steel plant back gate against the 100 percent disinvestment in the steel plant. Minister Muthamsetti Srinivas, MP M.V.V. Satyanarayana and YCP MLAs took part. The activists of trade unions like INTUC and AITUC participated in the protest in large numbers. Despite the rising protests from all sides in Andhra Pradesh, the Modi government has not given its reaction till now.

On their part, BJP leaders like Daggubati Purandeswari have asserted their total opposition to the steel plant privatisation. They have assured to take it up with the Prime Minister and the Union Ministers. However, the workers’ unions and all the political parties in the state were continuing their protests in different forms. The TDP has said that it is not just enough for the Chief Minister to sit silent after writing a letter to the PM. The Opposition demanded the CM to make a visit to Delhi and meet the Prime Minister to stop the disinvestment of the steel plant. Some TDP MLAs in North Andhra have announced that they are ready to resign from their posts to take a total plunge into the Vizag Steel agitation.

Thousands of people participated in the maha dharna in Vijayawada city also opposing the Central government’s plans to privatise Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), the corporate entity of the Vizag Steel Plant. Trade unions and Left parties are planning more state-wide protests against the privatisation. Two days ago, former minister and Telugu Desam Party MLA from Visakhapatnam, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, submitted his resignation in protest against the privatisation of the plant.