Trade unions lash out at Lakshmi Mittal

In a letter to Olympic chief Jacques Rogge, the leaders of four unions in Belgium and Luxembourg, home to Mittal-owned mills, said it was "a veritable insult" to have named him a torchbearer for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Lakshmi Mittal with Indian athletes in London on Monday.

Mittal, the main sponsor of a giant red tower by the Olympics stadium, will carry the torch Thursday, along with his son, on the eve of the opening of the event.

"Since Mr Mittal became No 1 in the steel business, he has fired almost 70,000 workers across the world," the trade unionists said.