Former Vice-Chancellor of Acharya Nagarjuna University V. Bala Mohan Das called for the struggle against privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) to be transformed into a mass movement by involving the public in large numbers.
Prof. Bala Mohan Das inaugurated the ‘1 crore signature campaign’, being organised by people’s organisations and trade unions, at Gandhi Statue on Thursday. He recalled that the steel plant was achieved after the sacrifices made by several people, and reiterated that the plant should continue to remain in the public sector. “The PSUs have stood as the foundation for industrial development in the country and they should continue to remain in the public sector in order to protect the economy,” Prof. Bala Mohan Das said.
The former V-C said that it was the government’s responsibility to ensure the growth of the PSUs. The Centre had invested ₹5,000 crore in VSP but the plant had given back ₹44,000 crore as dividends to the government so far, he said, alleging that the government was trying to mislead people by stating that there would be no change in the functioning of the steel plant after its privatisation. He called upon all sections of the people to support the signature campaign against the privatisation of VSP.
CITU State president Ch. Narasinga Rao alleged that the Centre was trying to secretly send members of various committees to value the assets of the steel plant and warned that they would not be allowed to enter the premises of the plant. All the gates of VSP would be closed from morning to afternoon on Friday (November 12) in solidarity with the call given by the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC), he said, and called upon all workers to participate in the protest and make it a success.
Workers and Trade Unions JAC chairman M. Jaggu Naidu presided. Various leaders of trade unions such as AITUC, INTUC, CFTUI, IFTU, AIDWA and CITU attended the campaign.
