The people of Visakhapatnam in general and those from the industrial belt of Gajuwaka in particular, who eagerly awaited the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his public meeting in Anakapalli on May 6, were disappointed as he conveniently skirted the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) privatisation issue.
The steel plant is located in the Gajuwaka Assembly segment in Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency. This Assembly segment alone has 3,27,438 voters, the second highest in the State after Bheemunipatnam, which has 3,56,481 electors. A vast majority of the workers and executives of VSP, and their families live in Ukkunagaram, Gajuwaka and adjoining areas. Interestingly, this is the only Assembly segment in Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat where male voters outnumber their female counterparts.
For over three years, the decision taken by the Modi government on the “strategic sale of VSP”, has caused considerable disquiet not only among steel plant employees but also all sections of people. The employees launched an indefinite relay hunger strike at Kurmannapalem, and subsequently a relay hunger strike was launched by civil society organisations at the Gandhi statue in the city, demanding revocation of the decision.
