The BJP, which is leading the coalition government at the Centre, has a habit of creating confusion on any issue related to Andhra Pradesh. Amaravati, Polavaram, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, Vizag Steel… whatever the issue, it says one thing and does another. Prime Minister Modi says one thing, the Union Minister says another, and the state BJP leaders promote something else.
The current hot topic is the Rs 11,440 crore package announced by the Centre for Visakhapatnam Steel. The Steel Minister said that they will share Rs 10,000 crores in the investment, and will convert the remaining Rs. 1,140 crores into a preferential share in the working capital loan. He himself has calculated that the factory has a debt of Rs. 35,000 crores.
However, what is going to be done with Vizag Steel? On January 7, 2021, the Modi government decided to sell 100 percent of Vizag Steel under a strategic sale. Vizag Steel was established as a result of long struggles with the slogan of “Visakha Steel is the rights of Andhras. It is a cornerstone for the development of Uttar Andhras”.
A huge industry that provides direct and indirect employment to one lakh people. Workers have been fighting against the privatization of the factory for four years. All parties except the BJP promised in the elections to protect steel. It is the demand of the workers and the people to continue Visakha Steel in the public sector.
They are demanding that their own iron ore mines be allocated and that it be merged with SAIL. But the Modi government without responding to these issues is attempting to create confusion. Giving a package to a plant that is in financial difficulties is welcome. Not giving clarity on privatization is also confusing the people.
Only if the Centre makes a clear statement that there will be no privatization after fulfilling the demands of the workers, will the sincerity of the BJP, TDP and Jana Sena parties running the double engine government at the Centre and in the state be proven. Until then, the prestigious Visakhapatnam Steel will continue to be on the chopping block.
The Prime Minister said that he helped Vizag Steel as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat. All Atma Nirbhar programs are loans and privatization pipelines. There are examples of packages being given to PSUs and then sold. During the recent visit to Visakhapatnam, the Prime Minister did not mention steel, but now suddenly Mittal Private Steel seems to be behind the package announcement.
On the one hand, providing all facilities to private steel and on the other hand, the arguments that the package was brought to the fore strategically out of fear of opposition from the people and workers if the government-owned Visakhapatnam Steel is destroyed cannot be dismissed.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu often explains that A.P. means Amaravati and Polavaram. The central government is showing a tendency to deceive in both of these. During the budget, it announced Rs. 15,000 crore assistance for Amaravati, and then said that these are debts. When Polavaram approached, it was divided into the first phase and the second phase.
While the state government said that the first phase would be completed by 2027, Union Home Minister Amit Shah extended the deadline to 2028. Here too, confusion has been raised. BJP has been a controversial issue on the relief and rehabilitation of displaced people since the beginning. The party has the same attitude as the world-famous TTD.
Earlier, it tried to interfere in TTD by showing laddu adulteration. Now, using the stampede and fire incidents as an excuse, the TTD has taken the step of deploying the NDRF to take over the security and administration. These developments show that it is moving its pawns to seize power over the TTD.
