Telangana : TSRTC workers slam KCR for inaction, seek support

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees on Wednesday slammed Telangana Chief Minister K.Chandrashekar Rao over the RTC employees strike that hit the state a few months ago. They also attacked  the KCR-led government for not taking necessary steps to allow the employees to resume their duties.The TSRTC employees on Monday called off their 52-day strike, which was going on since October 5 to demand a revision of pay amongst other issues. During the strike around five workers committed suicide seeing no way out of the mess.

 "After the strike was officially called off after 52 days, we approached the High Court, from there the matter was transferred to Labour Court, it has further directed us to join duties first but Chief Minister KCR is not allowing us to join nor relieving us permanently from our duties," said Mohammed Abdul Aziz, TSRTC employee.

Read-TSRTC protests: Telangana High Court gives permission to privatise 5,100 RTC routes

"The 52-day long strike would have been solved in two minutes, but the government has made it a big issue. The government is not taking proper steps towards it. Another employee Shailaja said, "All the employees working at the Chief Minister's residence, MLA's staff and all the government institutions are given free traveling pass by TSRTC. The common people are suffering." On November 23, the Telangana High Court disposed of a writ petition that was filed against the decision by the state government to privatize 5,100 routes. The decision comes as a major setback for the 48,000 employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation who had been on a strike since October. 

Read-Telangana govt awaits HC order on privatisation before final decision on TSRTC strike

"He is not willing to talk. We have worked for the welfare of people and not to gain profits. There are many departments that are alleged as corrupt but we have sincerely performed our duties and in return, we are getting this. We request the Chief Minister to come forward and conclude this issue," added Mohammed Abdul Aziz. 

The KCR-led state government has said that it will not accept the agitating employees back to work. The RTC employees, however, have made it clear that they will report for duty and have officially called off their strike. A state cabinet meeting is likely to be held at Pragati Bhavan in Hyderabad on Thursday where the RTC issue is expected to be taken up among other issues. For now, heavy police deployment has been made at bus depots and at Bus Bhawan in Telangana. 

Read-Telangana RTC unions to call off strike if govt takes back fired employees unconditionally

The TSRTC strike

The Transport Corporation Joint Action Committee has been demanding for the merger of the Regional Transport Committee with the Telangana government. They are also asking for the prohibition of electric buses. According to reports, ever since the beginning of the strike, more than 2,000 busses have remained grounded in the state. After the TSRTC employee, Srinivas Reddy, who died after allegedly immolating himself, protests also broke out in different parts of the city and other places, with employees raising slogans and holding the state government responsible for his death.

Read-Telangana BJP leader urges citizens and NRIs to support and save TSRTC

(With Agency Inputs)