All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) national general secretary Amarjeet Kaur on Sunday said that the Ukku Satyagraha Yatra was conducted by the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Samithi (VUPPC) drawing inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha to mark the completion of 600 days of relay hunger strikes by the workers. She was speaking at a public meeting organised at the Gandhi statue, near the GVMC, here.
Addressing the gathering, Ms. Kaur alleged that the Union government was handing over the nation to corporate groups by privatising the PSUs. She sought to know why profit-making PSUs were being handed over to the corporate groups. She alleged that the government was wantonly indulging in false propaganda on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant(VSP) though the workers have put it on the road to profits with their hard work and dedication.
VSP was one of the biggest PSUs in both the Telugu States. She also alleged that apart from VSP, several other public sector industries like ports, BSNL, Railways, banking and insurance sectors were being pushed to the brink. She alleged that the BJP government was content with serving corporate groups like Ambanis and Adanis. The 75 years of Independence was marked by growing unemployment, anarchy and attacks on women. She called for another struggle against the lopsided policies of the Union government.
Chodavaram MLA Karanam Dharmasri, TDP leader M. Sri Bharat, CPI(M) leaders Ch. Narasinga Rao, CPI leaders M. Pydiraju, JSP leader G. App Rao, JAC leaders M. Jaggu Naidu, Padala Ramana and B. Nagabushanam and Aam Aadmi Party leaders Sheetal and Congress leader Gampa Govind were among those who participated in the Ukku Satyagraham.
