Nirmala Faces Heat Of Steel Plant Agitators

[Anta Assamey]

The seven-month-long agitation by the workers of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant in protest against the Central government’s decision to privatise the steel plant has generated a lot of heat in the national capital of New Delhi with all parties joining the agitation at Jantar Mantar.

Though it did not have any impact on the Central government’s decision, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman had to face the heat of the agitation by the workers, when she came to Visakhapatnam on Friday.

Nirmala has a series of programmes in Srikalulam on Saturday. As the news of her arrival spread in the city, hundreds of workers of Visakhapatnam steel plant came to Visakhapatnam airport to gherao her. They raised slogans demanding that the Centre withdraw its decision to privatise the steel plant.

On coming to know that the workers were raising slogans outside the airport, Nirmala stayed back in the longue for some time. Meanwhile, the police entered the scene and dispersed the agitators, besides arresting some of them.

Later, Nirmala was escorted to the Visakhapatnam Port Trust guest house. She will have a night halt in the guest house, before leaving for Srikakulam on Saturday.

The Union finance minister will take part in the National Handlooms Day celebrations at Ponduru village, a place is known for khadi products.

She will visit Andhra Fine Khadi Kamakhabhivriddi Sangham, an institute where personnel weave Khadi.

Later, she will go to Agriculture Market Yard (AMC), where she will interact with beneficiaries and distribute assets among them. She will return to Visakhapatnam in the evening to return to Delhi.