`Rasta roko’ in Vizag against steel plant privatisation

The agitators wore black badges and raised slogans demanding the government to continue the steel plant in the public sector.

Visakhapatnam: Hundreds of workers, students, youth and social activists on Tuesday participated in a `rasta roko‘ which marked the 600th day of relay fasts in front of the Gandhi statue opposite the GVMC main office here, resenting the privatisation of Visakhapatnam steel plant.

In response to a call by the joint action committee to save the steel plant, the agitators wore black badges and raised slogans demanding the government to continue the steel plant in the public sector. The `rasta roko’ on the main road resulted in paralysing the traffic which saw the police intervene and control the situation.

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Addressing the gathering, AITUC state general secretary Obulesu was sore that the Centre failed to react although the agitation had entered the 600th day and bandh was organised twice to protest privatisation. He suggested that an agitation similar to the one by farmers in Delhi against black laws should be taken up to prevent privatisation of the steel plant.