Opposition Slams Government On RTC Strike Issue

The Opposition parties today slammed the TRS government for adopting a "dictatorial attitude" towards the striking employees of the TSRTC.

At an all-party meeting in the Somajiguda Press Club, the opposition parties - BJP, TDP, CPI, CPM and the Congress - expressed serious displeasure at the government for stating that the striking employees of the RTC were dismissed.

TDP leader R Chandrasekhar Reddy said that the people would teach the government a lesson for its "undemocratic decision" of removing the employees. Strikes and protests were the democratic rights of the employees and the staff to achieve their just demands, he said. The Opposition parties would support and help intensify the strike until the KCR government conceded to the merger and other demands, Reddy said.

CPM leader Thammineni Veerabhadram slammed the Chief Minister for his "dictatorial" decision of removing the RTC employees. Terming the strike as historic, he warned that the Opposition parties and people would bury the KCR government if the CM failed to desist from "suppressing" the employees, and their rights and just demands. He claimed that Telangana had a history of decimating such dictatorial leaders. He also said that his party's support would always be there for the corporation union leaders. Referring to the statement of the CM that the corporation employees had no legal ground to go on a strike, he said that there was no such bar in the law. He also alleged match fixing between the CM and private bus operators.

BJP leader Ramachandra Rao too lashed out at the KCR government for the announcement that the employees of the RTC were "self-dismissed" by joining the strike, and expressed support to the strike. CPI leader Dr Ch Sudhakar alleged that such undemocratic decisions had never been seen before.

The opposition parties would address a public meeting against the government, he added.