The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh has called for a bandh in the Bastar region on October 3, a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the regional headquarters Jagdalpur. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said the party was opposing the privatisation of the Nagarnar steel plant.
“If the Centre is not able to run the Nagarnar steel plant, then hand it over to the Chhattisgarh government and we will run it. The Central government said that in the process of disinvestment, such a clause has been inserted that the State government cannot take over this plant in place of private hands,” said Mr. Baghel at a press conference addressed by him and State Congress president Deepak Baij.
Asserting that the sentiments of the people of the State and especially of the backward region Bastar were associated with the plant, Mr. Baij, who is also the Lok Sabha MP from Bastar, said handing it over to private hands would be against the immediate and long-term interests of Chhattisgarh.
