VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakha Steel Plant agitation being held at Kurmannapalem Junction by Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC) and displaced persons union, which will complete 50 days on Saturday, is all set to enter the next phase.
As part of it, the committee, all party trade unions and Praja Sanghala JAC will launch a relay hunger strike in Vizag at Gandhi statue near GVMC office on Friday. Addressing mediapersons on Thursday, Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) national secretary and VUPPC chairperson Mantri Rajasekhar said they were planning to take the agitation to the national level.
“We will make efforts to sustain the agitation till the Centre withdraws its decision to privatise VSP,” he said. He said the Centre, which failed to implement the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, was now conspiring to privatise the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.
VUPPC convener J Ayodhyaram said the steel plant agitation was receiving support from across the country. He said a delegation of farmer leaders, led by Rakesh Tikait, will attend the farmers’ and workers’ rally on April 18. He said the farmer leaders from Haryana, Punjab and other States will also attend the rally. The April 18 rally will give a new direction to the steel plant agitation, he said.
Committee co-convener KSN Rao said despite adverse situations due to coronavirus, the steel plant has recorded profits. He said people should cooperate in order to protect the steel plant from being privatised.
Telangana Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao will also visit the camp of the relay hunger strike by the steel plant employees at Kurmannapalem on Friday.