Visakhapatnam: VUPPC members seek Rahul's support for Ukku stir

Visakhapatnam: To seek the support of All India Congress Committee leader Rahul Gandhi, representatives of the Visakha Ukku Parirakshana Porata Committee (VUPPC) launched a bus yatra in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. The members of the committee decided to bring the problems of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) to the notice of Rahul Gandhi and privatisation decision taken by the Union government and seek his support for the agitation.

A retired officer of RINL KK Rao flagged off the yatra which started from the Kurmannapalem relay hunger strike camp. As a part of Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi is in Kurnool district. The VUPPC members and other trade union leaders will meet Rahul Gandhi on Thursday. Speaking on the occasion, KK Rao said Visakhapatnam Steel Plant has not registered any production loss as of now. He explained that even though the government did not provide any assistance, the plant expanded from 3.3 million tonnes of production to 7.4 million tonnes by mobilising loans. He appealed to the Centre to reconsider the decision taken on the VSP.

Representatives of VUPPC D Adinarayana, Mantri Rajasekhar, J. Ayodhya Ram, Gandham Venkata Rao, J Rama Krishna, Y Mastanappa, Villa Ram Mohan Kumar, Varasala Srinivasa Rao and Gummadi Narendra said they would further mount pressure on the Union government with the support of all parties across the country. They expressed concern over the privatisation of the VSP and clarified that it would be prevented under any circumstance.