Busmen stage Rasta Roko in Khammam

Khammam: Tension prevailed here on Saturday as the RTC workers, Left and other oppositions parties' activists staged Rasta-Roko and tried to barge into the RTC depot.

A large number of RTC workers and opposition parties' activists took out a protest rally from depot to RTC bus stand marking the 50th day of the ongoing RTC strike called by the JAC in support of many demands.

During the protests, some of the workers and Left parties' activists demanded the temporary workers to quit the work and support the strike. A few tried to beat the temporary staff and while some Left partymen attempted deflate the bus tyres.

The police personnel present in large numbers at the bus stand intervened and controlled the agitating RTC staff and Left parties' activists and took them into custody. The protestors scuffled with the police creating tension at bus stand.

As the protestors squatted on main road in front the bus stand vehicular traffic was affected for a long time. The RTC officials were forced to divert buses coming from Kothagudem, Bhadrachalam, Manuguru and other places to Khammam bus stand to other route.

Speaking to the press on the occasion, CPI Khamamm district secretary B Hemantha Rao wanted the State government to have a compassionate approach to the RTC workers and their demands. He asked the government to take back all workers unconditionally. Some of the leaders of JAC and opposition parties expressed doubts over the stand of High Court regarding the matter of RTC strike.