Politically speaking, everything seems to go against the BJP AP unit ever since Somu Veerraju has taken over as its State President. Now, the rising agitation against the privatisation of ‘Visakha Steel Plant’ is threatening to destroy all chances for the BJP to gain hold in Andhra Pradesh. Already, the BJP leaders have missed a golden opportunity by not being able to give a timely response on the Ramatheertham idol desecration issue. There were also allegations of Veerraju’s pro-YCP leanings being the reason for the BJP going slow with regard to the criticism of the Jagan regime’s policies.
The latest stir on the steel plant issue has the potential to go out of limits considering how it is linked with the sentiments of the North Andhra people. There was a fierce agitation in the past when the slogan of ‘Visakha Ukku Andhrula Hakku’ (Visakha Steel is right of Andhras) resounded all over the State. Even Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu took active part in that agitation. Now, even a bigger agitation is expected this time against the Modi Government’s privatisation of the steel plant.
Interestingly, the ruling YCP was also bearing the brunt in this issue. The rivals were accusing CM Jagan and his 28 MPs of failing to prevent the privatisation of the steel plant. They were more interested to use their leverage with the Delhi leaders for relief from their personal cases.
The Visakha Steel triggered massive protests with the workers taking out rallies in the port city. The Opposition parties were even demanding resignation of Veerraju as the BJP AP President since he failed to convince his Delhi leaders on the steel plant issue.
The Student Union of Andhra University had a first meeting on the proposed agitation demanding Steel Plant to Visakhapatnam — as Karnataka & Tamil Nadu also raised the demand for steel plant. This was Chaired by Principal — brother of Appanna Dora, MLA –. I also participated in this meeting as a member of Student Union. The meeting decided on the solgan ‘Visakha Ukku Andhrula Hakku’ (Visakha Steel is right of Andhras). With this slogan AU students started agitation by sitting on rail tracks. After this some politicians enetered the erana. For the exapansion of the plant, APPCB/Hyderabad gave permission in which I was a member of the committee — also made allocation to contrl air pllutin [after this allcatin only cleared the expansin.
The following para I included in my mail to Committee of Supreme Court on three Agri Bills:
Andhra University Student Union initiated demanding for getting Steel Plant to Visakhapatnam – I as a member of Student Union participated in the first meeting and passed the resolution “Visakha Steel Plant is Andhra’s Right – visakha uukku andrula hakku”. We got the steel Plant to Visakhapatnam but now the BJP government wanted to part this to some friendly business houses. This is the strategy of BJP from the start – “Privatize & Corporatize” India.
Dr. S. Jeevananda Reddy
The game was started by Congress.
Past Congress Rulers built empires of Public Sector Institutions that not only generated employment to Indian citizens and provided income to government. The BJP rulers of the past and present have been destroying these institutions under the disguise of running under losses. Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant says “Government to privatise most PSUs” – same was highlighted FM in her budget. All these institutions are handing over to Gujarat business houses! Even the so-called Agri Tech [GM seeds] was illegally brought in to India by Gujarat to create empires to MNCs of the West. During Covid-19 RIL lost lakhs of crores at Share Market. BJP government to save RIL instantly raised the FDI Cap and within few days investments entered RIL and thus Ambani became the 4th richest man in the World. The same formula could have been used in the Public Sector Institutions running under losses and saved them. Is it not so??? Spending hundreds of crores built Sardar Vallabhabai Patel Statue, to get visitors planned to spend thousands of crores to build train services from all parts of the country, lakhs of crores infra projects planned to build in Gujarat state.
Dr. S. Jeevananda Reddy