A large number of workers affiliated to CITU staged a dharna in front of the Collectorate here on Thursday in protest against the move to privatise the Salem Steel Plant. They asked the Centre not to privatise the plant. The Tamil Nadu Government should take effective steps to protect it.

A. Soundararajan, State president of the CITU, said that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who hailed from Salem district, should take effective steps to protect the firm by adopting a resolution in the State Assembly against the Centre’s move. He should meet the Prime Minister along with a delegation of all MPs from the State to bring pressure on the Centre.

Mr. Soundararajan said that Chief Ministers of other States were protecting PSUs there.

The Modi Government has proposed to raise INR 80,000 crore by selling PSUs. The Centre should, instead, funds through proper planning.

Mr Soundararajan asked the Union and State Governments to protect PSUs by procuring products manufactured by them and marketing them through their outlets. He said that the State Government should take steps to create many small units in the large vacant space available on the plant campus to improve the economy of the district.

Mr G Sukumaran, general secretary of the CITU, said that State Government did not move any resolution in the Assembly to protect the plant. He added that the CITU, along with other parties, will launch an agitation if the Centre went ahead with privatisation move.

Mr P Panneerselvam, district president of the CITU; Malathi Sittibabu, its State treasurer; R. Singaravelu, and K. Vijayan, vice-presidents; too participated in the dharna.