As part of their plans to intensify the seven-day-old strike in support of their demands, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Telagnana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees' unions has taken to enlisting the support of political parties and other employees’ unions by meeting them.
Along with Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) president M. Kodandaram, TSRTC-JAC leaders E. Ashwathama Reddy and K. Raji Reddy met Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State unit president K. Laxman and working president of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) A. Revanth Reddy, separately, here on Friday seeking their support to their strike.
As the management of the public transport service struggled to run skeletal services by drawing ad hoc staff from other government departments and temporary drivers, the hardship of commuters continued across the State for the seventh day on Friday. People planning to reach their destinations by travelling in RTC buses were seen waiting for long hours at all important bus stations.
As part of their strike, the TSRTC-JAC decided to stage a silent protest ('mouna deeksha') in front of all bus depots across the State on Saturday by employees and their family members to press their demands. The JAC leaders stated that it was the responsibility of all political parties and employee unions to support the RTC strike to save the public transport entity from falling prey to private parties.
Speaking after their meeting with Mr. Laxman, JAC convenor Ashwathama Reddy thanked the political parties and employee unions supporting the strike. He stated that they were seeking the support of all political parties and employee unions to support the strike to save not only the RTC but also democracy in the State. He stated that there was no democracy in the State now as permission had not been given so far to dharna planned by them.
“We are seeking support from all employee bodies of government departments and public sector undertakings, including power utilities. A conspiracy is being hatched to hand over the properties of RTC across the State to private parties,” he alleged. They were also planning to represent the excesses of the police on striking RTC employees to the Governor and the Human Rights Commission seeking action against the police personnel responsible.
Asked how they were expecting support from major employee bodies such as TNGOs and TGOs, Mr. Ashwathama Reddy said: “I don’t think they will succumb to the government’s dearness allowance and increment bait as they could be in the same position as we are sooner than later”.
Another JAC leader, Mr. Raji Reddy, said four employees of RTC had died of heart failure following tension in their families over job security. He appealed to the employees not to resort to sacrifices as they would fight for justice and achieve it ultimately.
