CITU State general secretary Ch. Narasinga Rao on Wednesday urged people to participate in the Maha Padayatra (mega walkathon) to be organised on March 3 against the Centre’s move to privatise the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL-VSP).
He said that the programme will start at 6 a.m. from Kurmannapalem (the venue of the steel plant workers’ ongoing protest) to Gandhi Statue near the GVMC office in the city. The programme will be held under the aegis of leaders and activists of Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee, he said.
Speaking to reporters at the CITU office at Jagadamba Centre, Mr. Rao said that the Union Government led by BJP, headed by Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister, had been trying hard to privatise RINL-VSP for the last three years. Non-allocation of captive mines, non-supply of raw material, lease of BF-3 furnace, and in the latest, the sale of non-core assets of the plant, are signs of the BJP’s strategic move, he added.
BJP State president D. Purandeswari reiterated at some occasions that there is no move on privatisation of the plant by the Centre, and it had been withdrawn some months ago, but neither the Prime Minister nor the Steel Minister had so far made the same statement like her in public, Mr. Rao pointed out.
“We appeal to the people to defeat the BJP in the next general elections as BJP is a corporate-friendly party and is keen on privatising PSUs, including RINL-VSP, if it comes to power again,” Mr. Rao said.
