New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI) The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of handing over the Nagarnar Steel Plant in poll-bound Chhattisgarh to his crony “capitalist friends” and asked why the state government was not allowed to run the facility.
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh alleged the prime minister’s words and actions contradict each other as he said the Nagarnar Steel plant belongs to the people of Bastar but the Central government is preparing to hand over the plant to private players.
“The difference between the words and actions of the Prime Minister is evident once again. On one hand, he has made full preparations to hand over the Nagarnar Steel Plant to his crony capitalist friends. On the other hand, he says that the plant is the property of the people of Bastar,” Ramesh said in a statement.
“The Congress Party wants to ask three questions in this matter: Why does the Prime Minister not want to allow the Chhattisgarh state government to run this plant instead of selling it to his crony capitalist friends? When complete preparations have been made to turn over the Nagarnar Steel Plant to private hands, then how will it remain the property of the people of Bastar,” he said.
“When will the Prime Minister stop lying so shamelessly,” he asked.
Ramesh said in his statement that as elections approach “the Prime Minister’s lies increase exponentially”.
“This time he has tried to mislead the people of Chhattisgarh. In Bastar, he said that Nagarnar Steel Plant is the property of the people of Bastar and will remain with them. This is a complete lie,” he said.
In reality, the Congress leader claimed, that in October 2020 the Modi government decided to sell a majority stake of 50.79 percent of the Nagarnar Steel Plant, privatising it.
This decision was taken by the Economic Affairs Committee, which is chaired by the PM himself, he claimed.
The implementation of this decision has been entrusted to the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) under the Finance Ministry which had invited bids on 2 December 2022, he said.
“According to media reports, five companies are likely to bid for the majority stake in Nagarnar Steel Plant, including the PM’s best friend, the Adani Group.
“The Chairman of the National Mineral Development Corporation, Amitabh Mukherjee, has said that the process of disinvestment will be accelerated. It is clear from his words that as soon as the 2023 Vidhan Sabha elections are over, bids will be invited and the Nagarnar Steel Plant will be handed over to the PM’s crony capitalist friends,” Ramesh claimed.
He said the Congress Party has steadfastly opposed the privatisation of Nagarnar Steel Plant. When in opposition in Chhattisgarh, in 2016, the Congress had taken out a 17-km long padyatra to protest against the privatization of this plant and to raise the problems of the people who will be affected by this decision, he claimed.
Local farmers, labourers, steel workers, union members and others had participated and opposed the privatisation decision, he said.
“At that time, the news had spread throughout Chhattisgarh that the Modi Government wanted to hand over this plant to Adani. The pressure on the then BJP government had increased so much that the then-Chief Minister Raman Singh had to write a letter to the Prime Minister in April 2017 explaining the disadvantages of privatization of this plant,” the Congress leader said.
Even after the formation of Congress government in the state, he said our stand is absolutely clear. “So far, Rs 20,000 crores have been spent on the establishment of the plant. After investing so much of the people’s money, it would not be right to turn it over to private hands.” Ramesh said Congress Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has said on multiple occasions that if the Modi government cannot run the Nagarnar Steel Plant then it should hand it over to the State Government, and “we will run it”. A government resolution regarding this has also been passed in the Assembly, he claimed.
“Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had also placed this demand before the Prime Minister in a NITI Aayog meeting on 21 February 2021, but no response was received,” Ramesh said.
Addressing a public meeting in Jagdalpur in Bastar on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi said the Congress has a track record of looting natural resources of Chhattisgarh and vowed he will not allow the ruling party to usurp the Nagarnar steel plant located in Jagdalpur.
“The Congress is trying to usurp the Nagarnar steel plant by spreading lies. It is Modi’s guarantee that this will not happen. Bastar’s brother and sister are the owners of this steel plant. You have right on it. The Congress will not be given a change to encroach on it,” Modi had asserted.
The Congress on Tuesday observed a ‘Bastar bandh’ alleging the Centre is planning to privatise the Nagarnar steel plant.
Neither the Chhattisgarh CM nor his ministers attended the unveiling or foundation stone laying function of development projects on Tuesday, which shows they have no concern for the welfare of the state, Modi had said.
Assembly polls are due in the state the year-end. PTI SKC SKC TIR TIR
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