RTC Strike: HC Asks Government, JAC To Patch Up

The Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to submit a detailed report by Friday about the steps taken by it to resolve the ongoing indefinite strike by the TSRTC employees.

The HC also suggested to both the government and striking employees that they resolve the issue amicably as soon as possible, as the people were suffering due to the strike.

The court passed the order while dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by different people urging it to direct the State government to take steps to end the strike by citing that the people of the State were suffering a lot due to the same.

Presenting its arguments before the court, the counsel for the State government told the court that it was not ready to merge the RTC with it. He also told the court that the employees were making unreasonable demands.

However, intervening at this juncture, the court told both parties not to indulge their egos but to take steps to end the strike and provide the much-needed relief to the people of the State. At one stage, the bench also suggested to the employees that they call off their strike in the public interest before having negotiations with the government, and said that it might have to declare the strike as illegal if a truce wasn't reached by the next hearing, which it scheduled for October 18.

Speaking to the media after the court's observations, JAC convenor Ashwathama Reddy said that were ready for talks if the government or the RTC management called for them, but that the strike would continue.