The State police put key Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI (Marxist) leaders, along with leaders of other trade unions, under house arrest in undivided Kurnool and Anantapur districts on Wednesday ahead of their proposed dharna at Tapovanam Junction on National Highway 44 in Anantapur and Ballari Junction in Kurnool.
Despite the arrest of some leaders, others managed to reach the Tapovanam Junction in Anantapur and held protests for a brief period. However, the police immediately rounded up all the activists who raised slogans against the Narendra Modi Government’s proposal to privatise Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. Workers’ unions, including the one affiliated to YSRCP, called for a State-wide stir to protest against privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant
The CPI(M) Anantapur district committee strongly condemned the YSRCP government’s crackdown on the agitation and arrests across the State. District secretary V. Rambhupal said it was a matter of shame that the State government had not led the protest and, on the contrary, has been resorting to detentions. He demanded the immediate release of all those arrested for participating in the agitation.
Mr. Rambhupal also demanded that the Chief Minister convene an all-party meeting to protect the steel plant and pressure the Centre to maintain its status quo.
The AITUC State secretary Ramesh, CPI district assistant secretary Narayanaswamy, and AITUC district president Rajesh Goud held rata roko on NH-44. “It is surprising that the YSRCP was protecting the interests of the BJP-led Central government,” they said.
The Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is facing difficulties due to the lack of raw materials and resources. The workers have been protesting for 811 days, they added.
