Relay hunger strikes being organised at Gandhi Statue by trade unions and people’s organisations opposing the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant entered the 102nd day on Monday.
Workers in the unorganised sector of Arilova and Madhurawada zones and AIDWA leaders participated in the relay hunger strike.
CITU Madhurawada zone president D. Appalaraju said that only mass struggles can help in halting the privatisation plan of the Centre. He said that the Centre was bent on handing over public sector banks, insurance companies, ports, airports, HPCL, BPCL, airlines and railways to corporate groups on a platter.
He said it was due to the public sector organisations that workers in the unorganised sector, building construction workers, auto-rickshaw workers and push-cart vendors were able to earn their livelihood. The agitation would be continued till the Centre revoked its decision on the privatisation of VSP and other PSUs. It was not wise to hand over public assets to private individuals, he said.
CITU Arilova zone president I.C. Naidu and secretary V. Narendra Kumar and union leaders V. Bhooloka Rao, Y. Appa Rao, P. Sankara Rao, A. Ramana, Ch. Sudhakar, Madhurawada Mahila Sangham leaders B. Bharati, D. Kondamma, D. Tulasi and A. Gurumurthy Reddy were among those who participated.
