BJP, CPI demand steel plant at Gudur in Warangal district

Warangal: There were protests galore across the district on Thursday by different political parties demanding establishment of a Steel Plant at Guduru in Warangal district.

Protesters raised the slogans 'Guduru ukku Telangana hakku' which rent the air. BJP cadres took out a rally from Ekashila Park at Balasamudram to the District Collectorate at Hanamkonda. Activists belonging to CPI burnt the copies of the controversial GO allowing iron ore from mines located at Guduru in the district and Bayyaram in Khammam district to Visakapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), at Kaloji Centre in Hanamkonda.

Tension prevailed for a while when BJP activists were marching towards the Collectorate to lay siege to it. The agitators scuffled with the Police, who tried to prevent them in reaching the Collectorate. The BJP activists led by district leaders staged a dharna in front of the Collectorate. The activists shouted anti-Government slogans demanding it to withdraw the controversial GO sanctioning iron ore from Warangal district to VSP. Later, police took some BJP activists into the custody.

Speaking during the rally, BJP State Kisan Morcha president, Jammula Shyam Kishore demanded the Government to set up a steel plant at Guduru in the district where there is large scale iron ore available. A He said that establishment of the steel plant not only provides employment to Telangana people but also developes Guduru as a big town. He said that Girijans would be benefitted a lot along with other oppressed communities with job opportunities.

Meanwhile, CPI activists burnt the copies of GO in Hanamkonda. Speaking to media, CPI district secretary T Srinivasa Rao blasted at the Government for issuing the GO on iron ore allocation hurting the sentiments of T people. He questioned T Ministers and local Congress leaders for not uttering even a word on GO and comments made by non-T Ministers. He said that T Ministers were irresponsible and not defending their case of starting a steel plant at Guduru in the district. Several top leaders of BJP and CPI participated in the protest programmes.