TSRTC strike: BJP accuses KCR government of trying to to privatise RTC

The BJP has alleged that the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao led TRS is eager to privatise the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC). The party has accused the Chief Minister wants to privatise the company to 'promote his own people'. BJP slammed the TRS government and said the state government is not paying the employees their salaries.

'23 people in the state have died due to heart attacks or suicides'

"For the past 39 days, RTC employees are on strike and demanding a solution to their problem. As many as 23 people in the state have died due to heart attacks or suicides. Today is the 39th day and the strike is continuing in the state and government is not even paying them salaries," said NV Subhash, BJP spokesperson. "KCR Government wants to declare RTC a loss-making Corporation because Chief Minister wants to promote his own people by privatising RTC routes and benefitting his family members and his henchmen," he said. "High Court has given a proposal to form a committee by retired Supreme Court judges to solve the issues of TSRTC but KCR Government had rejected the HC proposal," he said.

READ | Disqualified Karnataka MLAs to join BJP on Thursday

'Telangana Government should think reasonably and resolve the issue'

Marri Shashider Reddy, a senior Congress leader said that the number of people who have died since the RTC strike began in the state had crossed 23, including more than half a dozen people who committed suicides and the remaining who have suffered shock and died a natural death.

"Unfortunately the Telangana Government is totally blind and is ignoring the plight of these people. The High Court has asked the state government to sit down for talks but the government is adamant. The most unfortunate part is that more than 49,000 employees have been sacked at one go, which is totally unprecedented and it is time that the Telangana Government should think reasonably and resolve the issue," he said.

Earlier, the Telangana Government expressed its unwillingness to go ahead with the high court’s proposal on setting up a high-powered committee to look into the issues of TSRTC employees. The employees have been protesting for more than 40 days now. The court offered the state government to constitute the committee with three retired Supreme Court judges to sort out the issue of TSRTC workers and asked Advocate General BS Prasad to respond to the suggestion. However, an affidavit on behalf of the government was filed expressing its unwillingness over the issue. 

More than 48,000 employees of the corporation have been on an indefinite strike since October 5, demanding merger of the TSRTC with the government transport department and pay revision among others. Meanwhile, the state Government has sacked 40,000 employees. 

READ | President's rule in Maharashtra hits BJP hardest, contends Amit Shah

READ | 'BJP should keep allies in good humour by maintaining dialogue': JDU