The Communist Party of India on Tuesday launched a padayatra seeking immediate stalling of the proposed sale of government stake in the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL) and gave a call to the people to participate in the culmination of the agitation in Visakhapatnam on September 25.

Party State secretary K. Ramakrishna, who launched the padayatra here, said the padayatras would be held in all districts every day to create awareness among the people as to what they were losing. “Thirty-two persons had sacrificed their lives to achieve ‘Visakha Ukku’ and the Centre instead of helping in setting up a second plant at Kadapa, was ready to sell the existing one brought with much struggle,” said Mr. Ramakrishna.

On the concluding day, the padayatra would be held in Visakhapatnam and the party cadre and people would march towards the steel plant asking the Centre and State to take action to stall the proposed sale of the steel plant, the CPI leader said. He urged people to oppose the policies of the Narendra Modi government to sell assets of the country like Gangavaram Port, Krishnapatnam Port, and bringing in three laws that were against the interests of the farmers.

Five hundred farmers’ associations and unions had given a call for Bharat Bandh on September 27, which should be made a grand success, he said.

District secretary D. Jagadeesh and other leaders participated in the padayatra.