Received from Visakha Ukku Parirakshna Committee
On 29th August 2021, the struggle against the sale of Vizag Steel Plant completed 200 days. The day was observed by forming a human chain of protesters. Trade Unions, employees, different mass organizations, political parties, and public of Visakhapatnam and retired employees of public sector undertakings made a grand success of 10 Km long Human Chain. First time in this agitation big number of women with children and land losers participated. It was a historical human chain in Andhra Pradesh. On 30th August protest programmes were conducted in all district head quarters throughout the state against Visakhapatnam Steel Plant sale.
More than 10,000 people participated in the human chain and ventilated their anguish against the policies of the BJP Government. The public poured on roads from their residences and joined their hands with the others and shouted slogans “We won’t allow the sale of Vizag Steel” “the Government has no right to sell the Public Asset” “Visakha Ukku Andhrula Hakku”. The entire stretch of 10 Kilometers from Aganamupudi to BHEL spread was filled with the spirt of anti-privatisation, and the determination and commitment of people from all walks of life to protect the VSP the pride of Visakhapatnam at any cost.
Sri MVV Stayannarayana, MP Viskahhapatnam, Smt Satyavati MP Ankapally of YSRCP, Sri Bandaru Satyannarayan Murty of TDP, Sri MVS Srama Ex MLC from CPIM took part in the Human Chain and reiterated their commitment to protect Vizag Steel Plant in Public sector and oppose the policies of BJP government at the Center. The workers from all Central Public Sector enterprises, Defence, Railway, Banking Sector, LIC, GIC took part with their Banners. Retired employees from different public sectors participated under the banner APRPA. Students, Youth, Women organizations also joined in protest. The Struggle Committee Chairman Ch. Narasinga Rao thanked all the participants in making the call of struggle committee a grand success. He expressed that with the immense response form all walks of life has created a confidence that they will definitely succeed in this struggle and reverse the policy of privatisation. He informed if the government won’t reverse the decision of the strategic sale of steel plant, they will intensify the struggle in near future.
The government is hell bent on selling the Public Sector Units to the private players for their profits. It is the peoples money that is invested in these PSUs and the government has no right to sell it off so that the handful few can make profits out of it. It is time for the workers and consumers to unite and fight against such anti-people and anti-social step.