Scores of people, representing different sections, and representatives of trade unions, staged a protest to mark the completion of 600 days of relay hunger strike, being organised to protest against the privatisation of Visakhaptnam Steel Plant(VSP), at the Gandhi statue, near the GVMC here on Tuesday.
The relay hunger strike at the Gandhi statue is being organised on the banner of Visakha District Workers and People’s Organisations JAC, for the past 600 days. Various sections of the peoplem including contract workers, youngsters, intellectuals, poets, artistes, advocates, pensioners, residents of apartments and physically challenged persons, had all participated on different days and expressed their solidarity with the cause. The protest was continued even when the pandemic was at its peak by wearing masks and observing social distance.
The steel workers and trade unions were hopeful that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would make a statement on revoking the decision on sale of the VSP during his recent visit to the city. His silence on the issue angered them, and they observed a ‘black day’ on Tuesday and burnt flexis of the Prime Minister.
Later, addressing the gathering, AITUC general secretary G. Obulesu, CITU State secretary M. Jaggunaidu and INTUC State secretary Mantri Rajasekhar alleged that the BJP government was more interested in its political ambitions rather than protecting the interests of Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh. Mr. Modi, who was silent on the VSP issue, had announced in Telangana that Singareni Collieries would not be privatised, which indicates that he was more interested in gaining political mileage and not the welfare of the people.
Describing PSUs as public property, they said that the Centre has no right to sell them. They demanded that the BJP leaders from the State impress upon their Central leadership not to go ahead with the sale of VSP, if they were committed to the welfare of the people of Andhra Pradesh. They alleged that the ruling YSRCP, the Opposition TDP and JSP were dancing to the tunes of the BJP government, instead of pulling it up for doing injustice to VSP.
JAC leaders R.K.S.V. Kumar and B. Nagabushanam presided
Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata (VUPPC) leaders D. Adinarayana, N. Rama Rao, D. Appa Rao, IFTU State vice president M. Venkateswarlu, CFTUI leader P. Venkatalakshmi, POW leader M. Lakshmi, AIDWA leader Y. Satyavathi and DYFI leader USN Raju were among those who participated in the protest.
