Revoke decision to privatise steel plant: HRF

The Human Rights Forum (HRF) has strongly opposed the recent in principle approval by the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) for 100% disinvestment of the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL, Visakha Steel Plant, VSP).

“We condemn this attempt to hand over the VSP, lock stock and barrel, to corporate entities on a platter. VSP is our nation’s first shore-based integrated steel plant that came into being following a sustained campaign by the people of the State. That agitation also resulted in the death of 32 people,” said V.S. Krishna, HRF, AP&TS Coordination Committee member. “Over the decades, various governments have followed policies that led to a huge cost of production burden. VSP is the only steel PSU that does not possess captive iron ore mines,” said K. Sudha, HRF State general secretary.