On September 15, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Brinda Karat, visited the relay hunger strike pandal organised by the Visakha Ukku Parirakshna Porata committee at Kurmannapalem Junction against the sale of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant by Modi government.

At the outset, she congratulated the united struggle of the steel employees, officers and contract workers which is continuing for the last 216 days. She said this struggle is for protecting the national assets. She said, “Modi does not know the sacrifices of 32 people who laid down their lives for this steel plant.” She lambasted the central government and said, “Who is Modi to sell away this plant for throwaway prices to corporates? It is not his ancestral property. Modi led BJP government should forthwith withdraw the decision for 100 per cent strategic sale.”  She reiterated that the public sector and agriculture producers are the spine of our nation and the spineless BJP government which has sold its soul to the corporates is acting against public sector and is selling/ monetising national assets which is detrimental to the interests of the nation and economic sovereignty.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha has given a call for a nationwide bandh on September 27, 2021, which is supported by all trade unions. To make the bandh a grand success, she appealed the struggle committee to take part in it as well. Workers and peasants who are the producers of national wealth are deprived of their rights and it is time to fight unitedly to stall the onslaught of the Modi government. She suggested all the workers and people of Visakhapatnam to send e-mails to Modi on September 17, on his birthday, demanding the withdrawal of the cabinet decision to sell Vizag Steel Plant. She concluded her address with the slogan ‘Save Vizag Steel, Save Visakhapatnam, Save India’.