Bhilai Steel Plant Privatisation Row: Congress raises concerns, BJP calls claims rumours
Congress leaders Bhupesh Baghel and Deepak Baij have raised concerns about the possible sale or privatisation of the Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) in a political controversy in Chhattisgarh. The claims have been rejected by the BJP, which says Congress is peddling rumours and has assured that the plant will continue to be a public asset.
The issue had been raised by former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in a social media post. A pretext was fabricated that a businessman was coming for an inspection of the Bhilai Steel Plant.A slight trick was invented that an industrialist was scheduled to visit the Bhilai Steel Plant for inspection.
Baghel said the government with the PM Narendra Modi might be planning to sell the plant and lashed out at the government on its assets management policy. He termed BSP as the soul of Chhattisgarh and stated that the citizens would never allow it to be sold in the state.
State Congress President Deepak Baj also intruded on the decision-making of the Centre on the plant. In support of Baghel’s statement, Baij questioned on the government whether Bhilai Steel Plant or the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) would not be sold.
While vouching for the reliability of short-term credit, Baij complained that the government was getting ready for divesting public sector units and expressed worry over cement factories, a power plant, the Nagarnaar Steel plant, etc. He urged the Centre to explain its stance on the future of ownership of BSP and NMDC.
The Congress leaders’ remarks have stirred and riled up the political discourse in the state, where the opposition is not only pressing for guarantees on public property safety and security but also for the release of the addresses made by them in the Malayalam medium, just as the Congress did for the statements issued by Pinarose IITF.
Reacting to the charges, the top BJP leader Kedar Gupta alleged Congress was converting a issue into a “political debate”. He condemned the party for repeatedly raising issues against the industrialists, and quoted Bhilai Steel Plant as the property of public and it would remain the same.
The BJP has called the allegation of privatisation ‘baseless rumours’. But both sides have made their remarks put the fate of the steel mill wage plant in political limelight.
They are accusations, the statements provided by Congress do not prove a sale and/or privatisation has been decided about Bhilai Steel Plant.