Protest against Vizag Steel Plant privatisation completes 300 days

The Union government’s move to disinvest in the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant has been met with opposition from all quarters in Andhra Pradesh, with the employees continuously holding agitations on the issue. A testimony to the will and determination of thousands of Vizag Steel employees and supporters, the ongoing protest against the privatisation completed 300 days on Wednesday.

Marking 300 days of the protest against the privatisation, the Vizag Steel Plant employees organised a huge rally at the RK Beach Road. Speaking on the occasion, they threatened to intensify the protests further, if the Centre does not change its stance in regards to the proposed bill. The VSP staff mentioned that except the BJP party, the rest of the national political parties are supporting their cause. They added that they will continue their relay hunger strike that was started during the early days of the protest. The hunger strike has been happening for the past 250 days.

The members protesting near the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) office have pointed out that the Steel Plant is a PSU that many families of North Andhra Pradesh are directly or indirectly dependent on for the source of income. On this occasion, they compared their protest to the Farmers protest that happened recently and how they gained victory out of their agitations. To escalate the protests, the trade union leaders of the Vizag Steel Plant are conducting another mega rally at Gajuwaka today.

Earlier in February 2021, the Cabinet approved the implementation of strategic disinvestment in Vizag Steel Plant. It stated that there is no turning back in regards to the privatisation move. When the bill was first proposed, the protests began at Kurmannapalem near the Vizag Steel Plant township. Many national and state leaders have shown solidarity and extended their support to the Vizag Steel Plant employees.