Visakhapatnam: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) on Thursday condemned the use of police force by the management of RINL to intimidate the striking contract workers instead of engaging in dialogue to address their grievances. The Forum expressed its solidarity with the workers who have been on an indefinite strike for the last 10 days, demanding recognition of their rights at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).
HRF highlighted that these workers, who are essential to daily operations, were facing threats and intimidation from management due to outdated privatisation policies. “The contract workers are being denied basic rights, job security, and dignity,” it said, demanding the immediate reinstatement of 3,000 recently terminated workers and job security for 1,800 contract workers at the plant.
With the production being affected, VSP resorting to fear tactics rather than negotiation is unacceptable, it said.
HRF claimed that there was a widespread belief that the Central government was orchestrating a systematic effort to privatise the plant by sanitising financials and offering an Rs.11,440 crore package, along with GST waivers, to attract private investors. The HRF denounces this attempt to hand over an industrial asset built on the sacrifice of 32 lives and land donated by 69 villages to corporate interests. The forum called for an immediate halt to punitive actions and demanded a democratic and peaceful resolution that protects workers’ rights and preserves the plant’s legacy.
