Members of Visakha Steel Workers Union, the recognised union in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, on Tuesday staged a demonstration in front of the VSP administrative building to protest the decision to disinvest 20 per cent of equity in Steel Authority of India Ltd., and demanded withdrawal of the decision immediately.
The VSWU also addressed a memorandum to the Prime Minister to be sent through the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of VSP describing the Cabinet decision on disinvestment as anti-people and anti-national. “This huge property is not owned by any individual in our country. This is national property worth lakhs of crores of rupees owned, created, and augmented by the workers, executives and the people of India. This Maharatna company is now a highly profitable one with huge contribution to the Government, worth thousands of crores of rupees each year along with creation of huge internal resources,” it noted.
The union demanded withdrawal of the decision of disinvestment and allow SAIL and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd. (Visakhapatnam Steel Plant) to prosper under public sector management. It warned that it would have no other option but to go for longer struggle and actions to stop the anti-national act in the future if the decision was not withdrawn.
The memorandum was signed by president D. Adinarayana, general secretary N. Ramarao, secretary Satyarao, B. Sadhureddy, V. Dhanaraju, and others.
