Will consider if AP govt. decides to take hold of Vizag steel plant: Kishan Reddy

Andhra Pradesh: The demand for the centre to reverse the decision to privatise the Visakhapatnam steel plant. Protests continued across Andhra Pradesh under the slogan of Visakha Steel, Andhrula Hakku. All parties are condemning the BJP trend. Union Home Minister Kishan Reddy responded in this regard. Speaking to the media in Delhi, he said that everyone has the right to protest in a democracy for the sake of the steel industry.

He clarified that the central government had taken a policy decision in the case of the Visakhapatnam steel plant. He said it was burdensome to run the loss-making Visakhapatnam steel industry.

Kishan Reddy said the central government would consider if the Andhra Pradesh government come forward to take the steel plant under its purview. The centre on the other hand is moving ahead to come out of steel plant management responsibilities preparing to sell shares. With this, the future of the industry, which is directly dependent on 35,000 people and indirectly dependent. Thousands of workers who depend on this industry for their livelihood are likely to fall by the wayside. This huge industry, which was lit up as the Pride of India, is now going private.

The centre has decided to sell its shares in a steel plant under the Strategic Sale name, raising concerns among working classes that the move could turn into an intoxication for millions of lives.