Congress leader and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today accused the government of selling the country’s assets to private players at throwaway rates. She was referring to what she said was the Railway Ministry’s proposal to corporatise its production units, including the modern coach factory at Raebareli, her constituency.

Raising the issue during zero hour, she termed it the first step towards privatisation and said thousands could go unemployed due to this. The government has invested heavily in the factory. She went on to highlight condition of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited.

“What the Railways means by corporatisation is making a government PSU the Indian Railway Rolling Stock Company under the Ministry of Railways and shifting the production units including MCF, Raebareli to it,” an official was quoted by the agency.