Telangana: Major political parties display solidarity with striking RTC workers

Major political parties on Wednesday displayed solidarity with the striking employees of Road Transport Corporation here.

Speaking to ANI at the protest, BJP Member of Legislative Council Ramchander Rao criticised government's move to sack 48,000 striking employees of RTC and said that his party will support any move taken by the employees during the strike.

"Instead of responding to the basic demands of the employees the Cheif Minister dismissed 49,000 employees with one pen stroke. He even announced new recruitment to fill the posts which is illegal. He should remember that this state was formed with peaceful agitation like this and the RTC employees were his great support at that time," he said.

Over 50,000 workers of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) are on strike demanding the government to support the road transport corporation and separate budgetary allocation for the same.

In addition to demands of equal salaries with that of government employees, the workers are also urging the Telangana government to take over the corporation.

Speaking to ANI, M Thomas, President of Telangana Mazdoor Union said, "We are going as per law but the government is trying to make the corporation private. More than 48000 employees have been terminated. Making RTC buses into private one will cause a lot of trouble to the public."

Thomas further said that the workers did not even get a chance to talk to K Chandra Shekhar Rao.

"Tomorrow onwards everyone will come and support us for this agitation. And we are not afraid to make this strike even bigger. The way he fought for Telangana I will fight for RTC," Thomas said.

Communist Party of India leader D.Sudhakar and former TDP MLA Ravula Chandra Shekar Reddy were also present at the event.