Former DGP and All India BSP national coordinator J. Purnachandra Rao, along with the leaders of displaced persons associations, at a public meeting of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) displaced persons at Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT
Former DGP of Telangana and All India Bahujan Samaj Party (AIBSP) national coordinator J. Purnachandra Rao on Sunday (February 08, 2026) called upon the displaced farmers of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) to launch a movement to demand compensation for their lands.
Speaking at the ‘Visakha Ukku Nirvasitula Praja Garjana’ held by Visakha Ukku Nirvasitula Ikya Sangham and Contract Labour Union here, Mr. Purnachandra Rao said that the farmers of 64 villages who gave 26,000 acres for VSP should not stop with staging dharnas and rastarokos but launch State-wide agitations wearing black shirts. He said though the displaced persons were waiting for compensation for the past 35 years, the Centre and State governments are not responding.
He said that the ruling dispensations are not heeding to agitations like dharnas and rastarokos by the displaced farmers, and asked that workers of all factories across the State should wear black shirts as a movement. He assured the VSP displaced people of legal support. He also demanded that the tribal farmers, displaced by the Polavaram project should be given lands.
Visakha Ukku Nirvasitula Sangam chief adviser Y. Mahadev, Rythu Sangams coordinator and former MP Vadde Shobanadeeswara Rao were among those who addressed the gathering.
Published – February 08, 2026 08:11 pm IST
