Vizag Steel Plant row: Jagan pledges to fight for workers’ rights, privatisation plan

Visakhapatnam: Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, reiterated his unwavering commitment to protect the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), stressing that saving the plant has always been the sole objective of the YSR Congress Party.

‘Coalition govt betrayed people’

During his tour of Narsipatnam and Visakhapatnam on Thursday, workers of the VSP met Jagan and submitted a petition outlining their concerns. The workers said that, despite giving an election promise to safeguard the steel plant, the TDP-led coalition has betrayed them after coming to power.

They appealed to Jagan to extend his support to ensure the survival of the plant, the party said.

Responding positively to their plea, Jagan assured them that, whether in power or in opposition, his stance will remain the same: YSRCP will always fight to safeguard the steel plant. He emphasised that the party’s mission is to prevent privatisation and to stand firmly with the workers in their struggle.

Reinstatement and ownership

The workers also placed three key demands before the government:

- They urged that the Union Cabinet’s decision on privatisation must be reversed by pressuring the Central Government.

- They demanded that exclusive captive mines be allocated to the Visakha Steel Plant, and that the plant be merged with SAIL.

- They also called for the reinstatement of all retrenched employees.

The workers made it clear that they will intensify their agitation until these demands are addressed.