Former Information Commissioner Madabhushi Sridhar said that the Centre has no right to privatise Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) without consulting any of the stakeholders. He was speaking after inaugurating a seminar organised by the State committee of the Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) at Peda Gantyada, Gajuwaka, here on Sunday.
Ridiculing the move of the Centre, Mr. Sridhar said that a dog would be labelled as ‘mad’ to kill it and in the same way, the Centre was labelling public sector units (PSUs) as ‘loss making’ to hand them over to corporate companies.
He alleged that those who have no human values had achieved power and were riding on the back of the common people. He questioned the government as to how far it was justified in refusing financial help to PSUs, while extending lakhs of crores of rupees to corporate companies. He alleged that it has become common for rulers to push PSUs into losses and then put them up for sale. He alleged that Modi-Shah were least bothered though one lakh farmers were protesting in Delhi. He called for united struggles for the protection of the VSP.
Kolla Rammohan Rao, who had participated in the struggles for establishment of VSP, as a student leader, said that the plant was achieved after several sacrifices and it was unfortunate that there was a proposal to privatise it.
Mr. Rammohan Rao recalled that the State Assembly had passed a unanimous resolution in those days. The agitation, which was started by students, was later joined by all sections of the people. Though 32 persons had lost their lives in police firing, the agitation was not stopped. MLAs and MP s had resigned in protest in those days, he added.
IFTU State vice president M. Venkateswarlu presided.