The CPI-M district committee has condemned the Centre’s statements that it will close the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), even as the agitation for its conservation is increasing day by day.
Describing the statements of Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Singh Thakur as ‘threats’, party district committee secretary K. Lokanatham said in a statement here on Wednesday that the threats had cut off the wings of Telugu. He called upon all political parties to condemn the obstinate attitude of the Center.
Mr. Lokhandham said that the central government’s move to privatize PSUs and hand them over to corporates should be condemned. The CPI (M) leader said that Yes Bank, a private bank which was in deficit, was nationalized and now the public sector VSP is being privatized, although it has assets of ₹ 2 lakh crore.
He warned that if people do not resign from their posts and join the movement, they will teach a lesson to the BJP leaders of the state.
He said that the Center had invested only ₹ 4,890 crore in VSP, but the Center has contributed ₹ 44,000 crore as dividend. He said that the plant has 22,000 acres of land and modern equipment in addition to sea and rail connectivity.
The CPI (M) leader recalled that Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had assured trade unions in 2019 that no advice would be taken on privatization of VSPs, without consulting them. But, he cheated the unions and workers, Mr. Lokanatham said. The CPI (M) leader called for the working class to be ready for demonstrations with the BJP government.
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