everything the Central government says about uplifting Visakhapatnam Steel is a lie:YS Sharmila

YS Sharmila, the president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), has stated that everything the Central government says about uplifting Visakhapatnam Steel is a lie. In a recent tweet, she criticized the government, claiming that its support for the steel plant resembles a "stepmother's love."

She argued that Prime Minister Modi's interest in the Karnataka steel industry does not reflect a commitment to the rights of the Andhra people. Sharmila claimed that there are ongoing efforts to drive Visakhapatnam Steel into bankruptcy and that there are conspiracies to sell it to Modi's associates, despite the government's assurances that there will be no privatization.

Sharmila pointed out that Union Steel Minister Kumaraswamy had allocated ₹15,000 crores for the Karnataka Steel Plant located in his state, which led to its revival. In contrast, the Central government shows no intention of supporting Visakhapatnam Steel, which employs 26,000 people, even as it provided significant funding to a plant that employs only 243 workers in Karnataka.

She criticized the Janata Dal (Secular) for receiving funds despite having only two MPs, while the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janasena, which have supported the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), are failing to stand up for the interests of Andhra Pradesh. According to her, the situation is shameful and indicative of the incompetence of local MPs.

Sharmila highlighted that workers at Visakhapatnam Steel have been protesting for 1,400 days due to unpaid salaries, and production has declined because of a shortage of raw materials. She questioned the government’s commitment to the steel plant, especially when Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is discussing a new plant with Mittal Steel that should not face any iron ore shortages. She asked where the justice lies in this situation.

The Congress party is now demanding that the Central government should provide financial assistance to Vizag Steel, similar to what it provided for the Karnataka plant. Sharmila called for the plant to be merged with the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) immediately and suggested an increase in production capacity from 7 million tons to 20 million tons in the future. She urged the TDP and Janasena to withdraw from the NDA partnership if these goals cannot be met.