CPI (M) polit bureau member B.V. Raghavulu on Saturday described the just-concluded Andhra Pradesh AgTech Summit as a farce aimed at encouraging corporate farmers and FDI.
Addressing a public meeting on the importance of public sectors organised by Visakha Steel Employees’ Union (CITU) at Ukkunagaram, he came down heavily on Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for creating hype over the visit of Microsoft Corporation co-founder Bill Gates.
“Finally the small and marginal farmer will be converted into bonded labourers by the corporates and FDI will be pumped into agriculture by offering them lot of incentives,” he remarked.
Mr. Raghavulu hit out at the disinvestment policy of the NDA Government. He said while turning a blind eye to recover ₹16 lakh crore wilfully defaulted in payment by big industrialists and corporates, the government wanted to hand over Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited and Dredging Corporation of India on a platter.
He said the public sectors always paid the taxes honestly whereas the private companies resort to all sorts of tricks to evade payments. “RINL despite an loan amount of ₹15,000 crore, regularly pays ₹1,000 crore towards its interest liability,” he said.
CITU State president Ch. Narsinga Rao, VSP leaders J. Ayodhyaram, J. Simhachalam and CITU leaders from various industrial units attended.
