All India Students’ Federation (AISF) State vice-president V. Johnson Babu on Wednesday demanded that the State government exert pressure on the Centre to stop privatisation of the RINL-Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.

Speaking to the mediaat the GVMC Gandhi statue here, Mr. Babu said that the industries would be set up to create employment, but in the case of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, it was completely reversed. The Union and the State governments are trying to cripple the steel industry for their selfish policies and personal interests, he alleged and added that lakhs of people will suffer due to such decisions.

He said that AISF will take a final decision on the issue of steel plant in the 49th State-level Congress of the federation to be held in Vizianagaram from November 27 to 30.

Mr. Babu said that the federation will also decide on the protest at the meeting against the new seat matrix introduced by the State through G.O.s 107 and 108 on allocation of 35% of the seats in the new medical colleges under ‘self-financing courses’ category.