Visakhapatnam: Political parties, unions reiterate support to fight against VSP sale

Visakhapatnam : Trade union leaders, politicians, students and people of various walks of life joined the Ukku stir on November 8, Wednesday, marking the completion of 1,000 days of agitation against the move to privatise the major industry in the state.

In Visakhapatnam, several schools and colleges expressed solidarity with the agitation by closing down the institution for a day. The leaders of SFI, DYFI, PDSO and AISF staged protests at various locations in the district. DYFI state vice president U S N Raju, SFI district president M Shiva condemned the arrest of students who were protesting in a peaceful manner.

TDP former minister Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, north constituency MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Visakhapatnam parliamentary constituency president Palla Srinivasa Rao, JSP PAC member Kona Tatarao, Praja Shanti party president K A Paul, Congress leader P Rakesh Reddy, trade union leaders D Adinaryana, Ch Narasinga Rao, YSRCP Gajuwaka MLA Tippala Nagireddy, vice-president Dama Subba Rao, among others visited the relay hunger strike camp at Kurmannapalem and extended their support to the Ukku stir.

Speaking on the occasion the protesters said both the state and Central governments have neglected Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and it is their apathy that is pushing the plant to losses.

Further, they stated that despite the Union government being stubborn over the strategic sale, they will continue to fight for the protection of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant which remains to be the pride of ‘Andhrulu’.

The leaders said a number of displaced families ended up being jobless even though they have ‘R’ (rehabilitation) cards. Following the Central government’s harsh decision on the strategic sale of the VSP, the leaders decided to intensify the agitation for steel plant.

“The objective is to put up a collective fight and draw the attention of the Union government towards withdrawing its decision on privatising Visakhapatnam Steel Plant,” they said. Meanwhile, police personnel were deployed at various educational institutions to avoid any untoward incident.