The police foiled the plans of the workers of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) to block the convoy of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on her arrival here on Friday.
The protesters, under the banner of the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee, had planned the agitation in protest against the Union government’s decision to privatise the VSP.
As part of their protest plan, the workers and representatives of various unions started gathering in groups at the road that leads to the international airport from 4 p.m. onwards. They squatted on the road and raised slogans seeking continuation of the VSP in the public sector.
However, a large number of policemen deployed there arrested the protesters and shifted them to various police stations. Struggle committee chairman J. Ayodhyaram, CPI(M) city secretary B. Ganga Rao, and trade union leader K.M. Srinivasa Rao were among those arrested.
The police also put up barricades on strategic routes such as Sheela Nagar, Kurmanapalem and near the VSP gate to prevent the workers and employees from reaching the airport area.
The Finance Minister, who was scheduled to arrive at 5.50 p.m., reached the city about 20 minutes early.
There were hardly any protesters by the time her convoy approached the National Highway.
Itinerary
Earlier, the Finance Minister was received at the airport by several State Ministers and BJP leaders.
After an overnight stay at the Visakhapatnam Port guest house, Ms. Sitharaman would leave for Ponduru in Srikakulam district by road on Saturday morning, where she would participate in the National Handloom Day celebrations being organised by the AFFK Sangham.
She would return to the city by evening and visit a vaccination centre.
PDS centre
On Sunday morning, Ms. Sitharaman would leave for Krishnadevipeta in the Visakhapatnam Agency by road, where she would pay tributes at the memorial of revolutionary freedom fighter Alluri Sitharamaraju. She would also visit Narsipatnam. She would also visit a PDS centre at Tallapalem and and interact with the beneficiaries.
The Finance Minister would return to New Delhi from Visakhapatnam on Sunday evening.
