Government Tapping Our Phones: RTC JAC Leader

As the strike by the RTC employees entered the 13th day today, JAC convenor Ashwatthama Reddy said that the government was resorting to unethical means to kill it, including tapping the JAC leaders' phones.

Instead of resorting to such means, he said that the government should just invite them for talks to resolve the issue. They could then explain to the government how the merger of the RTC with the government would be possible, as also how other issues could be settled in a staggered manner.

He said that a constitutional crisis might arise if the issue was not resolved, and added that the earlier Hotel Viceroy episode should not be forgotten.

Indirectly referring to KCR, he said that it was not proper for him to behave like "he was the king and he was the minister". He said that the Chief Minister post was not permanent, and that KCR was not greater than NTR.

He said that the MLAs of not only other parties, but even those of the TRS were discussing the strike issue with him. He said that ministers T Harish Rao, Etela Rajender and Jagadish Reddy should give up their silence on the issue. He also said that it was not proper on the part of the intellectuals to remain silent on the issue.

He also said that the JAC would expose the government's ill intentions in the High Court tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the Left parties started mass fasts at Indira Park today, protesting against the government's stand on the RTC strike.