CPI Andhra Pradesh secretary calls upon all MPs to exert pressure on PM to revoke decision on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

Communist Party of India State secretary K. Ramakrishna has called upon the MPs of all political parties to exert pressure on the Centre to prevent privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary K. Ramakrishna has called upon the MPs of all political parties to exert pressure on the Centre to prevent privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP). Describing the 808-day protests by various trade unions as historic, he appealed to all political parties to support it.

Mr. Ramakrishna held a meeting with leaders of various trade unions, which have been protesting for over two years seeking the revocation of the decision on privatisation of VSP at the CPI office here on Sunday.

Addressing a media conference on the occasion, Mr. Ramakrishna deplored the adamant attitude of the Centre and called upon the MPs of all parties to collectively meet the Prime Minister and mount pressure on him to revoke the decision on the VSP. This was the right time as the election atmosphere has already set in. He said that allotment of captive mines and working capital to VSP would help in saving the public sector steel plant, and putting it back on the road to profits.

VSP’s continuation in the public sector was also needed to implement the mandatory reservation policy for recruitment of SC/ST/BC employees apart from doing justice to the displaced persons, who had given their lands for the establishment of the plant. He said that VSP has so far paid back ₹50,000 crore to the government in various forms, and the plant has assets valued at ₹3 lakh crore. He alleged that the rights of workers were trampled upon during the nine-year-rule of the Narendra Modi government.

On the proposal of the YSR Congress Party to launch the ‘Jaganannaku cheputhamu’ programme from May 9, Mr. Ramakrishna alleged that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, unlike his predecessors, has never allowed the public to meet him either at his residence or his office to tell their grievances. He has not even held a media conference or an all-party meeting, so far. He wondered as to how the people would apprise him of their grievances, when do not have an opportunity to meet him. He said that the CPI was prepared to participate, if the YSRCP government held an all-party meet on VSP, Polavaram or on the assurances given in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.

The CPI State secretary also said that TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu should come out clear on whether he would support the Modi government policies on privatisation of VSP, privatisation of power sector and withdrawal of 4% reservation given to Muslims.