Despite warnings from the state government, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees union is continuing their indefinite strike. On Friday, the Telangana government had stated that it will take back the staff who report at the workplace concerned by Saturday 6 pm. Out of 49,773 employees of TSRTC, a mere 160 employees turned up for duty before the deadline.
The state has been witnessing an unprecedented indefinite strike, organised by the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) staff, since Friday midnight. Thousands of buses were off the road to press for their demands.
According to the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of TSRTC employee unions, over 49,000 employees are participating in the strike. JAC leaders earlier stated that they will go ahead with strike and will not buckle under the government’s threats to dismiss striking employees from service.
Scores of passengers, who were travelling to their destinations for Dasara and Bathukamma festivals, were stranded at bus stations across the state. The state government, in a move to reduce the inconvenience to the passengers, has reportedly deployed as many as 9,000 buses. According to reports, private drivers have been temporarily hired to resume the buses services.
Speaking to TNM, JAC convenor of TSRTC Employees Unions, Ashwathama Reddy said, "The indefinite strike is still on. No staff has reported for duty despite the warning. The government claims over alternative bus services for the passengers are false. If the government managed to serve the people on Saturday, they should release numbers.”
Reddy said their demands are clear. “The state government owes Rs 2,300 crores to the staff. We want TSRTC to be merged with the government, job security, new buses and fill up existing vacancies.”
He added, "The government has not approached us since we started the indefinite strike. If they approach us for a dialogue, we are 100% ready. This evening (Sunday), we are also going to review the strike.”
Last week, a three-member committee of IAS officials was appointed to look into the demands. Although the committee started the talks, the government dissolved unceremoniously, prompting the employees to go on an indefinite strike on Friday.
Several trade unions have come in support of employees and opposition parties are slamming the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party for causing trouble to the people, by not paying heed to the demands of TSRTC employees.
Krishna Saagar Rao, BJP’s chief spokesperson for Telangana, told TNM, “The ongoing strike is the result of the utter neglect and mismanagement of the TSRTC. Chief Minister KCR and his government are responsible for the inconvenience caused to the people of Telangana.”
Krishna Saagar further stated that the CM should directly sit with the TSRTC employees and hold talks instead of adopting indirect methods to sort out the issues pending for six years.