A poster on the bandh, proposed by the Steel Plant Parirakshana Porata Committee, against privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) on March 5, was released by the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) leaders here on Tuesday.
CITU leader M. Subba Rao recalled the sacrifice made by 32 persons in the struggle for establishment of the VSP, the resignation by 67 MLAs of the Left parties and handing over of their lands by people for the establishment of the plant.
He warned that they would not take it lying down, if the Prime Minister or the BJP go ahead with the plan to privatise the VSP under the name of ‘patriotism’.
CITU leader K.V.P. Chandramouli said that even after three decades after the establishment of the VSP, captive mines have not been allocated to it. The investment on the plant by the government was only ₹4,800 crore, while VSP has contributed ₹43,000 crore to the Centre, he said.