Visakhapatnam: 250 employees to take part in 25-hr hunger strike

Visakhapatnam: Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee members announced that 250 employees of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) will go on a 25-hour long hunger strike from October 19, marking the 250th day of the hunger strike camp. Briefing the media here on Saturday, committee chairman Ch Narasinga Rao said opposing the Union government's decision on privatisation of VSP, a relay hunger strike camp was launched on February 12 this year at Kurmannapalem junction.

Narasinga Rao demanded that the Union government withdraw the process of appointing a legal advisor for the privatisation of VSP and warned that the legal advisor will not be allowed to visit VSP premises.

VSP recognised union president J Ayodhya Ram said all the political parties in the State except the BJP were participating in the Ukku stir. They stated that the Telugu people will not allow privatising of the VSP. The committee members raised an objection over completing the procedure of appointing a legal advisor and a transaction advisor for 100 per cent strategic disinvestment of VSP. Committee member Mantri Rajasekhar pointed out that the State Assembly and the GVMC council had also passed unanimous resolutions opposing the decision of 100 per cent strategic disinvestment of VSP and sent it to the Centre.

Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee members D Adinarayana, Gandham Venkata Rao, Y Mastanappa and Varasala Srinivas participated in the conference.