Lokesh Faces Heat From VSP Trade Union Leaders

Visakhapatnam: AP minister N. Lokesh got into heated arguments with Left union leaders when he came to meet the family members of those killed in the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) blast on Monday evening. As Lokesh spoke to a suffering woman at the mortuary of King George Hospital on Tuesday, Left leaders raised slogans demanding compensation of Rs 1 million and guaranteed employment, not contracts. Lokesh said the center has announced a package of Rs 25 lakh and the state government will also provide long-term support to the families of the deceased. When CPI state secretary Dabbiru Adinarayana raised his voice and asked why 10 untrained VSP personnel were sent for operations where the blast took place, Lokesh told him not to raise his voice while the NDA government was discussing the incident.

This led to another leader raising his voice and telling Lokesh that the government was not interested in ensuring the security of the plant as it was planning to privatize the steel plant. This led to Lokesh raising his voice and informing the CPI leader that it was the union and the state NDA government that saved the steel plant from privatization through a massive central package.

When the families of the victims and the surrounding public were stunned by the controversy, Lokesh told the union leaders that he had not come to the morgue to interact with the family members of the dead employees and talk about politics.

CPI leaders withdrew and Lokesh continued his inquiries with the family members of the deceased.