Visakhapatnam: A rally to mark 300-day relay hunger strike

Visakhapatnam: Marking 300 days of the relay hunger strike camp in the city against privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), trade unions took out a rally here on Wednesday.

Speaking at the camp, CITU state secretary and JAC chairman M Jaggu Naidu urged the Union government to withdraw its decision on the sale of VSP.

He said all sections of people across the State oppose the decision of 100 percent disinvestment of the VSP.

Even though trade unions are staging protests over 300 days, the BJP government has not yet taken any positive decision, he added.

VSP Contract Workers Union president G Srinivasa Rao said the plant was established with the sacrifices of farmers, youths and others. He mentioned that they will not allow the VSP to be handed over to the private management.

The CITU leaders demanded the Union government to allot their own captive mines to the VSP so that the organisation will overcome losses. As a part of their protest, they took out a rally from the hunger strike camp to Ambedkar statue, passing via RTC Complex and Asilmetta Junction with the public sector tableau. At the camp, Malkapuram zone artists and children performed dance and kolattam.

AITUC district president P Ramana, INTUC district general secretary B Nagbhushanam and IFTU state vice president M Venkateswar were present.