Visakhapatnam: Ukku stir takes a digital route

Visakhapatnam: So far, employees of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) and trade union leaders have been expressing their ire over the sale of the plant through direct protests. In addition, they now took a digital route. As a part of the digital protest, employees, agitators, trade union leaders, representatives of various organisations and general public have been sending e-mails and SMS to the Union Steel Minister Ram Chandra Prasad Singh and the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to withdraw their diction on the 100 percent strategic sale of the VSP. In addition, texts are also sent to the ministers through other social media platforms.

The digital campaign is launched by the VisakhaUkkuParirakshanaPorata Committee (VUPPC).The VUPPC, which has been conducting protests in a number of ways to exert pressure on the Centre, took a digital route, want to express their unwillingness over 100 percent disinvestment of the VSP through the digital stir as well.Speaking about the digital protest, VUPPC members J Ayodhya Ram, D Adinarayana, Varasala Srinivasa Rao and GandhamVenkatrao, say, "We are ready to fight against the Union government in every possible way to save VSP from passing on to the private players. In future, steps would be taken to intensify the Ukku stir."Earlier, the protests took varied forms. A one-crore signature campaign, the stir took other forms such as public meetings, 'padayatra', rallies, bandhs, relay hunger strike, and 'Vanta-Varpu' formed a part of the list.

Led by Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy, the ruling party took out a 25-km 'padayatra' in Visakhapatnam. Similarly, TDP leaders also staged several protests, including an indefinite hunger strike by former MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao. Except the BJP, all political parties have been extending their support to the Ukku stir.This apart, during the budget session, the State Assembly passed a resolution against the privatisation of VSP.