The Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary K. Ramakrishna has demanded that the State government clarify its stand on the development of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).

Neglecting VSP at the cost of new ventures like Mittal Steel was uncalled for, and such moves were inappropriate and unacceptable, he said.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr. Ramakrishna criticised Industries Minister T.G. Bharat’s request to the Union government to allocate captive mines and port access for the upcoming Mittal Steel project at Anakapalli.

The Minister’s request was inappropriate, especially when the employees, workers, and the public are staging massive protests against the privatisation of VSP, which the government seems to be indifferent to. The State government has requested the allocation of mines and port access for Mittal Steel while making no such demands for the public sector VSP, Mr. Ramakrishna said.

He labelled this move as unethical and a betrayal of the public sector and accused the State of aligning with the Centre’s “devious plans”.

The CPI leader reminded that 32 people sacrificed their lives during the historic struggle for the establishment of the steel plant in Visakhapatnam under the slogan, ‘Visakha Ukku- Andhrula Hakku’ (Visakha Steel is the right of Andhrites).

Mr. Ramakrishna warned that if the government fails to develop and retain the plant in the public sector, it will go down in history in disgrace.

The State government, if it was sincere, should mount pressure on the Central government to allocate captive mines to VSP, he added.