Ukku leaders, workers en route to Delhi for dharna

VISAKHAPATNAM:  Duvvada  railway station on Saturday night reverberated with ‘Visakha Ukku Andhrula Hakku’ slogans by hundreds of steel plant workers who gathered to board a train en route to Delhi to participate in a dharna at Jantar Mantar against the 100 per cent strategic sale of the plant.

Convener of Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee and president of steel plant recognised union J Ayodhyaram told TNIE that over 1,000 steel employees are heading to Delhi and the number could have been more had there not been any Covid restriction. He said the Delhi agitation will act as an eye opener for the Modi government.

He said about 200 workers left for Delhi in the morning by Swarna Jayanati Express and another 500 would leave by AP Express from Duvvada. Some steel workers went to Bhubaneswar from where they will take a train to Delhi. He said they will gather at Jantar Mantar where they were given permission for dharna on August 2. They will stage another dharna at Andhra Bhavan the next day.

He said all major non-BJP national parties will participate in the dharna and they were sure to take the steel plant agitation to the national level.