Telangana: Workers' union, BJP condemn KCR's decision to sack about 50,000 protesting TSRTC employees

Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) Employees Union and BJP on Monday condemned Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's decision to sack about 50,000 employees who did not return to work from a strike by the deadline set by the government.

TSRTC Employees Union Zonal Secretary Hyderabad-Greater Hyderabad, Ragavulu, condemned the Chief Minister's decision. "We condemn the Chief Minister's statement to retrench about 50,000 employees who were on strike. This is injustice and against the rules," he said.

He further said, "We had handed over a 26-point memorandum to the RTC management on September 3 but no one from the management or government came to discuss the issues with us."

Mohammad Aziz, Zonal Publicity Secretary of the RTC Employees Union, said: "The Chief Minister is trying to sack the workers by hook or crook and introduce privatisation in the RTC. He said the government will recruit new employees. He should think about our children."

State BJP has also condemned the Chief Minister's decision, terming it "unimplementable" and extended its support to the employees.

"BJP unilaterally rejects and condemns the brazen decision taken by Chief Minister KCR. We also know that this decision is not implementable. The RTC employees were on strike highlighting their demands. No Chief Minister in the country can take such a drastic and brazen decision, removing over 50,000 employees who went on a legally-valid strike. BJP warns him of serious consequences and supports the employees in their struggle," the BJP leader said.

On Sunday, the Chief Minister announced that the government would not take back the striking workers who refused to end their two-day protest by the government's deadline of 6 pm on Saturday.

"People are angry over the RTC staff who went on strike. There is widespread opposition expressed in social media. People were put to a lot of hardship due to the strike. This is the reason why employees who have not reported to duty before the expiry of a deadline will not be taken back. Once they crossed over the main door they will not be allowed to come in," Rao had said in a statement.

The protestors were demanding, among others, the merger of the TSRTC with the government so that its employees can get the benefits of government employees.

The Chief Minister, however, refused to merge the entity with the government and vowed to include 50 per cent private bus fleet in the corporation. "Under any circumstances, RTC will not be merged with the government and the government will not have any talks with those who went on strike," the statement had said.