RTC JAC's "Sakala Janula Samara Bheri" On Oct 30

RTC JAC Convenor Ashwatthama Reddy, at a meeting with several Opposition parties held at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram, today criticised Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for adopting oppressive tactics against the striking unions and employees, and ruining the futures of the TSRTC staff by "a plan to privatize the RTC".

He said that the RTC JAC and political parties would continue their strike with daily protests, culminating in a "Sakala Janula Samara Bheri" on October 30 with 5 lakh people to pressurize the government into conceding their demands.

The full action plan of protests, to be executed from October 21 to 30, is as follows:

October 21: holding protests with family members at bus depots
October 22: appealing to temporary drivers and conductors
October 23: meeting peoples' representatives for support
October 24: women conductors' sit-in
October 25: rasta rokos on national highways
October 26: sit-in with children of RTC staff demanding that government change its attitude
October 27: protest sit-in for salary denial on Deepavali festival
October 28: arguments in court
October 30: Sakala Janula Samarabheri with 5 lakh workers and employees

The meeting also discussed the 16-day strike, the government not holding talks despite High Court directions and Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan's advice, the "success" of the Telangana bandh yesterday, and the future plans.

Reddy also lashed out at the KCR government for "deliberately" arresting 100 sanitation workers and causing wounds to New Democracy leader P Ranga Rao during the bandh protests yesterday.

The JAC Convenor demanded that the State government call for talks and resolve the crisis immediately. He also appealed to the temporary drivers and conductors not to deprive the RTC staff of their livelihoods. He extended his gratitude to the Osmania University students for extending solidarity with the RTC employees.

CPM leader Thammineni Veerabhadram, Telangana TDP leader L Ramana, TJS chief M Kodandaram and RTC JAC leaders among others attended the meeting, and uniformly slammed the State government for "adopting a dictatorial and adamant attitude".