Congress Criticizes Government Over Steel Plant Privatization

The Congress party criticized the government's attempt to privatize steel plants, alleging a deliberate effort to weaken the industrial base. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh stated that these privatizations were unnecessary and suggested that government incompetence in executing its plans has left PSUs inactive.

On Saturday, the Congress party launched a scathing attack on the government over its efforts to privatize steel plants, alleging that these actions are suffocating the country's industrial base, with Union Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy implicated in the effort.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh referenced a written reply by Kumaraswamy in the Rajya Sabha, revealing that the government has attempted and failed to privatize four steel plants and is currently attempting to privatize another two. Ramesh asserted that none of these privatizations were necessary.

Ramesh further argued that the government's incompetence in enacting its own decisions has resulted in these PSUs being left in a state of inactivity. He suggested that this inaction might be a deliberate move to push these units into losses, bolstering the case for privatization. He warned that this would lead to employee struggles and suppliers shifting away, ultimately weakening India's industrial foundation.