Visakhapatnam: Ukku stir reaches 500-day mark

Visakhapatnam: Marking 500 days of Ukku stir, representatives of Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC) and trade union along with thousands of VSP permanent and contract workers, displaced families, Visakhapatnam district labour took part in massive demonstrations held at various places on Sunday.

The AITUC organised a bike rally from Kurmannapalem junction to Dondaparthy. AITUC general secretary G Obulesu, VUPPC chairmen D Adinarayana, Mantri Rajasekhar and convener J Ayodhya Ram flagged off the rally. The bike rally reached the Railway DRM office from Kurmannapalem Junction National Highway via Vadlapudi, Srinagar, Chinna Gantyada, Old Gajuwaka, Sheela Nagar, NAD Junction, Karasa, Kancharapalem and Railway New Colony to the Railway DRM Office.

From there, leaders, along with local people took out a march till GVMC Gandhi statue. During the padayatra, the protesters raised slogans against the Central government for implementing anti-labor policies.

Later, a public meeting was held at GVMC Gandhi statue. The trade union leaders warned that there was no point in privatising the VSP when steps could be taken to save it from losses. They clarified that the VSP was the wealth of the people and should continue to be a public sector unit.

Speaking on the occasion, CITU state president Ch Narasinga Rao, YSRTUC state president Goutham Reddy, general secretary Y Mastanappa, TNTUC state president G. Ragharamaraju and vice president Villa Rammohan Kumar said the agitation would be intensified if the Central government fails to change its policies.