RTC stir: Socialist Party writes to High Court on lies

Karwan: Backing the striking TSRTC employees, the Socialist Party (India) challenged the argument of the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that the state government does not have funds to sustain basic civic amenities of public transport.

In an open public interest petition to the High Court Chief Justice on Wednesday, Dr Lubna Sarwath, the spokesperson of Socialist Party, termed the several of the decisions made by KCR as irrational, which according to her diverted public welfare funds to private causes.

She pointed out that land to an extent of 2 acres in Gandipet was awarded to Sri Sarada Peetham on nominal rate of Rs 1 per acre through G O No 71. "Socialist Party in a letter dated July 18, 2019, demanded for its cancellation, as this was a loss to public exchequer to the tune of around Rs 30 to 40 crore ( by lowest estimates) in Kokapet," she said.

The spokesperson of Socialist Party also questioned the state governemnt's decision to come up with a new assembly and a new secretariat with an expenditure of Rs 600 crore, for the purpose of conducting 'Maha sudarshana yagam,' the expenditure of which is running to hundreds of crores.

"The government has spent hundreds of crores on Dawat-e-iftar and chaadar at Ajmer Dargah. PILs were filed in the High court to cancel the dawat e iftars in 2017 and 2018, but in vain.

The government has spent more than Rs 45 crore - the basic funds that High Court questioned for to meet four legitimate demands of TSRTC - on gold ornaments at various temples in Telangana and AP as a fulfilment of Chief Minister's personal vows," she pointed out.

"We have urged Chief Justice to proceed against KCR, to save democracy in Telangana and the Constitution of India for diversion and misuse of public funds to private wishes and desires and against his constitutional mandate as the Chief Minister.

We also urged him to take into account the loss of 27 days of revenue to TSRTC and for becoming the cause for the deaths of serving employees of TSRTC," she added.