RTC JAC Leaders Arrested, Ashwatthama Reddy On Fast

The TSRTC employee unions' JAC's Bus Roko protests across the State today resulted in the arrests of many leaders and a police lathicharge on the agitating employees including women.

Declining permission for the protest, the police took JAC leaders E Ashwatthama Reddy and Raji Reddy into custody at their residences, and prevented the striking RTC workers from staging protests.

Ashwathama Reddy said that the police surrounded his residence with a huge force and threatened him. Deploring the arrests of the JAC leaders, he vowed to continue a hunger protest until Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao called for talks.

Despite the JAC setting aside its main demand, a merger of the TSRTC with the government, the latter was continuing to be adamant, he said.

"This is sheer obstinacy. The JAC leaders will continue hunger protests until the government calls for talks," he said.

He also expressed displeasure that the State government owed Rs 3,000 crore to the RTC but was denying it.

Despite the police crackdown, thr protest was not completely quelled - in several districts TSRTC workers came out in large numbers onto the roads and shouted slogans against the Chief Minister and the government.

Meanwhile, KCR held a review on the RTC strike, which reached its 43rd day today. The High Court is to hear all the cases related to the strike on November 18.