The government was seeking to surreptitiously privatise the Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareily, Sonia Gandhi said on Tuesday, adding the move has caused uncertainty among the employees and their families.
Privatisation leads to thousands of people getting unemployed and is against the objectives for which the plant had been set up, Sonia Gandhi said as she raised the issue in the Lok Sabha during zero hour.
"The real concern is that they have chosen Modern Coach Factory for the experiment," the Rae Bareli lawmaker said.
The factory had been set up under the UPA government and was aimed to boost manufacturing in the country, she said. It is the "most modern plant" that makes good quality coaches at cheap prices, Sonia Gandhi said.
"The employees have also not been taken into confidence. It is a matter of sadness that their and their families' future is in danger," she said.
"I urge the government to protect the Modern Coach Factory and other PSUs and give respect to the farmers and their families," the senior Congress leader said.
The UPA chairperson also expressed concerns over the condition of some public sector undertakings, including HAL, BSNL and MTNL.
"Their condition is not hidden from anyone," she said.
Gandhi said privatization leads to priceless assets going to a few private hands at very cheap prices and thousands getting unemployed
She also expressed unhappiness over BJP-led NDA government's decision to merge rail budget with the general budget.
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