A human chain was formed by steel workers, under the aegis of Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC), on the eve of the 1,000-day agitation for protection of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) here on Tuesday.
VUPPC chairmen D. Adinarayana, Neerukonda Ramachandra Rao and J. Ayodhya Ram demanded that that Centre give up its proposal for 100% strategic sale of VSP. Describing VSP as ‘people’s asset’, they demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi withdraw his plan to sell the steel plant to corporate groups.
They called upon steel plant employees, their families and the general public to participate in thousands to make the 1,000-day relay hunger strike being organised at Kurmannapalem gate and make the 1,000-day agitation on Wednesday, a success.
VUPPC leaders K.S.N. Rao, U. Ramaswamy, B.M.K. Naii, J. Ramakrishna, Y.T. Das, Dommeti Appa Rao, Boddu Pydiraju, Villa Rammohan Kumar and D. Demudu were among those who participated.
Meanwhile, in a letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday, the Vice-Chancellors’ Forum, Visakhapatnam, has appealed to Mr. Narendra Modi to revoke the decision on ‘strategic sale’ of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and honour the sentiments of the people. The Forum requested the Centre to allocate captive mines to the plant and inject fresh capital to enable the VSP to make profits apart from contributing to the huge demand projected for steel in the near future.
The signatories to the letter are: Hanumanthu Lajipathi Rai, former Vice Chancellor, Dr BR Ambedkar University, Srikakulam, V. Balamohandas, former Vice Chancellor, Nagarjuna University, Guntur, J.V. Prabhakara Rao, former VC, Rayalaseema University, Kurnool, R. Sudarshan, former VC, Vikramasimhapuri University, Nellore, Niruparani, former VC, Aadikavi Nannaya University, Rajahmundry, and G.V. Subramanyam, former V-C, GITAM Deemed to be University, Visakhapatnam.
Meanwhile, the Federation for Development of North Andhra (FDNA) has extended support to the educational institutions bandh, being organised on November 8, to oppose the decision of the BJP government on the sale of VSP and to mark the 1,000-day completion of relay hunger strikes for protection of VSP.
FDNA general secretary A. Aja Sarma demanded that the Centre revoke its decision on sale of steel plant. He also sought taking up the construction of Kadapa Steel Plant and Duggirajupatnam Port, apart from honouring the assurances given in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
