Former CBI Joint Director and political activist V.V. Lakshminarayana has said that a counter will be filed against the Union government’s affidavit on the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on August 2.
The Union government’s affidavit was in response to the PIL filed by Mr. Lakshminarayana on the VSP privatisation issue.
Reacting to the remarks reportedly made by the Union government in its affidavit that the PIL was a part of the petitioner’s political agenda, Mr. Lakshminarayana said on Thursday that “there is no rule that a politician cannot file a PIL.”
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“Moreover, the Supreme Court has already stated that any PIL will be admitted if there is an element of public interest and public good in it, irrespective of the petitioner’s background,” he said.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Lakshminarayana said the Union government had not addressed certain key points in the petition.
“The Union government has not addressed the issue of alternatives, or options, to revive the VSP by merging it with other steel majors in the public sector, or assigning iron ore mines, as suggested in the PIL,” he said.
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“The VSP is strategically located and has all the trappings of becoming a major steel hub if iron ore mines are allotted to it, or if it is merged with other steel plants to make it look like a consortium. In such a scenario, it is worthwhile to consider the alternatives before selling it,” said Mr. Lakshminarayana.