T'gana HC asks RTC, striking employees to hold talks; strike

With no breakthrough achieved since its oral directive three days ago, the Telangana High Court on Friday virtually set an ultimatum of October 28 for state transport corporation and employees' unions to hold talks and settle all disputes, even as the stir entered the 14th day.

In its interim order, the court directed the two sides to settle all disputes before October 28 and report to it about the settlement.

The order came as the indefinite strike by nearly 48,000 Telangana State Road Transport Corporation employees demanding among others merger of TSRTC with the government, pay revision and recruitment to various posts continued.

The opposition Congress, BJP and Left activists on Friday took out bike rallies and held other forms of protest and extended support to the state-wide bandh given by employees on October 19.

Congress, BJP, TDP, the Left parties, trade and students unions and other organisations have already announced their support to the bandh.

The state government employees unions have also expressed solidarity with the protesting RTC staff.

Earlier on October 15, the court had observed the strike was causing hardship to the public and asked TSRTC and the unions to hold negotiations and inform it Friday about the steps taken by them towards resolving the issue.

"We are ready for talks... (We say) initiate dialogue. Tell us why merger (of RTC with government) is a problem. We request discussion on other issues. First initiate the dialogue process," RTC employees unions' Joint Action Committee (JAC) leader Aswaddhama Reddy told reporters here.

CPI leader K Narayana said the AITUC would stage a protest at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi on Saturday.

He said CPI General Secretary D Raja has written to the National Human Rights Commission, seeking its intervention for resolution of the strike by RTC employees.

On Friday, RTC employees and activists of various opposition parties organised protests, including sit-ins and demonstrations, at various places in the state.

Some employees symbolically sought alms from the public.

In Nizamabad, children displaying PDSU badges held a protest, demanding that the state government reopen schools.

The governmnet has extended the Dussehra holidays for school children in view of the RTC strike.

Some lawyers, who expressed solidarity with the strike, attempted to burn an effigy of the Chief Minister in the premises of a local court,but it was not allowed, police said.

They also took out a bike rally in the city.

The government has been running buses with temporary drivers and conductors as alternative arrangements and claimed on Friday 73.82 per cent buses were made available.

In Mancherial district, a bus driver allegedly tried to misbehave with a woman conductor on Thursday night when there were no passengers, police said.

Based on her complaint, a case was registered against him under section 354 of IPC (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), they said.

Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan had reviwed the situation with Principal Secretary (Transport) Sunil Sharma on Thursday and urged the government and RTC management to take steps for alternative transport arrangements. PTI SJR