Tension built up at the Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) on Saturday when stones were pelted on a bus, breaking its windshield glass and widow panes. The police personnel deployed in large numbers swung into action and arrested leaders of political parties and trade unions who were participating in a demonstration, pressing for their main demand of a 43 per cent pay hike for RTC employees.
Leaders of all political parties and trade unions met in a round-table on Friday to express solidarity with the protesting RTC unions. It was resolved in the meeting to hold a demonstration at the PNBS on Saturday morning and obstruct movement of the hired buses being operated by the management to cater to the public transport needs.
Leaders of Congress, YSR Congress, CPI, CPI (M) and All-India Trade Unions Congress, Centre of India Unions and Indian National Trade Union Congress participation in the protest.
While the RTC officials claimed that the police tried to foil attempts by RTC union leaders who tried to stop the buses by deflating the tyres, the latter alleged that it was a ‘ploy’ of private bus owners who “are desperate to make the best of the strike by operating their services.”
“Owners of private buses engaged their men to resort to acts that led to our arrest so that they could smoothly run their buses without hindrance,” said Y. Venkateswara Rao, deputy general secretary of APSRTC Employees’ Union.
Those arrested included YSR Congress leader Gowtham Reddy, AITUC State general secretary G. Obulesu, CPI Krishna district secretary Akkineni Vanaja and RTC Employees’ Union’s Y.V. Rao. They were sent to Machavaram police station.
The union leaders also alleged that nearly 70 workers, who went to the Krishnalanka police station to meet them, were bundled into trucks and shifted to police stations at Pamidimukkala and Thotlavallur. There were 20 women among the arrested workers too.
Warning the RTC management against resorting to acts of suppression, the leaders said that they had waited for 26 months before serving the strike notice. “We could operate 60 per cent buses with the help of 600 hired drivers,” said RTC ED R. Nagaraju.
While RTC officials claim that the police try to foil the protest, the agitators allege that it is a ploy of pvt. bus owners to make the most of the stir
