Chandrasekhar Rao says no talks, wants bus services restored by October 21
Hyderabad: Making it clear that that the government would not recognise the “illegal and unlawful strike” under any circumstances, and that there was no question of having talks with those on strike, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday instructed officials to make arrangements to restore the RTC buses services in their entirety.
While reviewing the situation that has arisen due to the RTC strike, Mr Rao instructed officials to pay the September salaries to those attending who are attending duty. He declared that the employees who went on strike will not be taken back, come what may.
Mr Rao asked RTC officials to appoint the required employees to run 50 per cent of the RTC buses, take 30 per cent of buses on hire and give stage carriage route permits to 20 per cent private buses.
Mr Rao said that by October 21, all categories of buses should be operational and students having bus passes should not suffer. Those who have passes can travel to their schools.
Hitting out at the RTC trade union leaders, Mr Rao pointed out that that if they intensify the stir, the government will not be shaken or scared.
He warned that “the government will not tolerate attempts to stop the buses, organizing dharnas at the bus stations and depots. We will not tolerate any goondaism. Till date, the government was a bit tolerant. Now onwards, it would act sternly.”
From the review meeting, the CM spoke to Director-General of Police M. Mahendar Reddy and told him to increase security at all the RTC depots and bus stands and install CCTV cameras at every point and utilise the service of the intelligence department too.
Mr Rao told the DGP to book cases, arrest and send to court those indulging in unlawful activity. He maintained that there was no point tolerating those indulging in damaging and destroying the property in the name of agitation.
He said, “Workers have blindly believed the irrelevant talk of the union leaders and abstained from duty. Supervisors were dragged into the strike, which never happened in the past. Union leaders have acted with utter irresponsibility and became a reason for 48,000 employees losing their jobs.”
He said, “There is no question of pardoning the workers who inflicted losses on the RTC and exposed passengers to hardships during the festival time. This is not a strike but an unlawful action.”
Mr. Rao said, “It is immoral and unethical that certain political parties are extending support to the illegal and unethical strike.”
The political parties supporting the unlawful strike, which is causing inconvenience to the people, have no support from the people."
He told the authorities in the meeting that the political parties are eager to politically benefit from the situation, which is hope against hope, and the parties supporting the strike will have to face public outrage.
He said that "BJP leaders are talking a lot here. The BJP, which is in power at the centre, is privatising the Indian railways and the airlines also privatised but the state party leader is taking a stand contrary to the centre's stand here."
Venkateshwarachari, who attempted self-immolation in Khammam on Saturday.
Another RTC driver attempts self-immolation in Khammam
Blaming Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for the suicide attempt by RTC driver Srinivas Reddy, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President and Nalgonda MP Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy said that the days of KCR are numbered.
Another RTC driver Venkateshwarachari tried to set himself in Khammam during a protest at the district collectorate. He was prevented by police. Both of them appealed to the employees to not take any extreme steps.
Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy in Raghunath-palem mandal of Huzurnagar constituency said the suicide would not resolve any problem and instead it would increase the pain for the family members. Therefore, he advised the RTC workers to fight for their rights and justice with bravery and patience. He said the Congress party would support the RTC workers in this hour of crisis till their issues are fully resolved. The TPCC chief accused KCR of adopting a cruel and inhuman approach and alleged that the chief minister apparently wants RTC workers and their families to starve for food just because they did not obey his orders to withdraw the strike. He said this dictatorial attitude was not acceptable in a democracy. KCR is responsible for this tragic incident.
