The relay hunger strike launched by the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) workers, under the aegis of the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC), at Kurmannapalem against the decision of the Centre on strategic sale of the plant on February 12 last year will be completing one year on Saturday.
The workers have participated in the strike, rain or shine, and braving the COVID-19 pandemic threat. VUPPC leaders attributed the success to the cooperation it has received from all trade unions from across the country and the support extended by all political parties, irrespective of their affiliations, at the public meeting held on February 18 last year.
Around 30 MPs, along with leaders of national parties, supported the agitation organised by the VUPPC at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on August 2 and 3. Prominent leaders such as Sharad Pawar and Mallikharjun Kharge expressed solidarity on August 4 and 5. Central trade union leaders and Kisan Morcha leader Rakesh Tikait visited the VSP and expressed their support to the workers.
The VUPPC was formed by trade unions and associations of permanent workers, contract workers and officers of the VSP. Apart from Visakhapatnam, agitations were held across the State. The committee has taken collective decisions on the stir during the last one year with the single agenda of preventing the strategic sale of the VSP. The huge participation of workers in the various protests and the support of the public have made the strike a huge success.
Resolutions adopted
A resolutions was adopted in the council meeting of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation(GVMC) opposing the Centre’s decision. Similar, resolutions were adopted at Zilla Parishad meetings and the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. The VUPPC leaders alleged that the BJP leaders tried to play a ‘mind game’ with the people by spreading falsehoods on the steel plant.
They alleged that the BJP-led Centre had deceived the people of Andhra Pradesh by not allocating captive mines to the VSP. In spite of this, in the last 21 months, the plant earned net profit of ₹700 crore. The BJP leaders had tried to create a rift among the people but their attempts had failed as they were met with greater resistance, they said.
VUPPC leaders Ch. Narasinga Rao. Y. Mastanappa, Varasala Srinivasa Rao, K. Srinivasa Rao, Mantri Rajasekhar, D.V. Ramana Reddy and D. Appa Rao thanked all sections of the people for making the year-long strike a success.
