BSL versus displaced youths and job demands

Bokaro: The long-standing dispute between Bokaro Steel Limited (BSL) and the protesting Visthapit Apprentice Sangh (VAS) took a tragic turn when a youth died during a clash with the CISF personnel outside the BSL's administrative building on Thursday.
For nine years, approximately 1,500 VAS members, comprising individuals from families displaced by BSL projects and trained under the PSU's apprenticeship programme, have been demanding permanent employment, a promise by the steel major they claim remains unfulfilled.
Despite numerous protests and appeals to the senior management, their concerns have gone largely unaddressed. VAS members alleged that BSL had assured them the jobs after completing apprenticeship training in three batches. However, most trained individuals remained unemployed, with many now over 45 years old. The issue is further complicated by multiple factions of the displaced groups emerging from the 19 affected villages surrounding the steel plant, each presenting distinct demands.
The latest protests began after failed attempts to establish a dialogue with the BSL management. Their demonstrations included gheraoing residences of top BSL officials and staging sit-ins outside the administrative building. While the district administration intervened occasionally, leading to negotiations, the talks collapsed when BSL failed to meet the demands. "We've been protesting for nine years, receiving only empty assurances and fruitless talks," a protester said, adding, "We're forced to continue our street demonstrations."
Meanwhile, the BSL management maintained that the apprenticeship programme was intended to provide skills for self-employment or contract-based work, not permanent positions.