TRS slams PM Modi for misleading people on privatisation of SCCL

Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi on Monday lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making a misleading statement on privatisation of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL). The ruling party said the Prime Minister was compelled to make the statement in the wake of the demonstrations being held by the Singareni workers and also efforts of the […]

Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi on Monday lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making a misleading statement on privatisation of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL). The ruling party said the Prime Minister was compelled to make the statement in the wake of the demonstrations being held by the Singareni workers and also efforts of the State government.

Speaking to mediapersons at TRS Legislative Party office here, SC Development Minister Koppula Eshwar pointed out that Prime Minister Modi claimed that the Centre was not privatising the SCCL and indicated that the union government was a minority stakeholder in the company compared to the State government. “Otherwise, the Centre would have sold off Singareni. Further, auctioning the coal blocks in Telangana even after SCCL sought their allocation, is nothing short of privatisation,” he said.

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The Minister reminded that except for privatisation issue, Modi had evaded speaking about various issues plaguing the company. None of the Singareni workers issues including the Assembly resolution to provide Income Tax exemption, and pensioners issues, were not mentioned. He said due to pressure brought on the BJP through demonstration, the Prime Minister was compelled to speak about privatisation of SCCL whereas he did not speak about privatisation of Vizag Steel Plant during his visit to Andhra Pradesh.

Peddapalli MP B Venkatesh Netha said the Central government violated the protocol by not inviting him, the local MP, for the Prime Minister’s visit to Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited factory. He said by inviting Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay for the event, the Ramagundam meeting was turned into a BJP political meeting. He said a complaint will be lodged before the Lok Sabha Privilege Committee in this regard.

Government Whip MS Prabhakar, MLC L Ramana and others were present.