Commuters Caught In The Crossfire

Hyderabad: Expressing solidarity with the agitating TSRTC workers, political parties, lawyers' community, student unions and electricity employees' unions took out rallies in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana on Tuesday as the stir entered eleventh day.

TNGOs, which were maintaining silence on the issue, also came forward in support of the TSRTC stir.

Tension prevailed when Congress leader and Sangareddy MLA T Jagga Reddy and his associates were taken into custody. Jagga Reddy with his party workers was proceeding to Hyderabad in a big rally. Police foiled the MLA's attempt to reach the city and instead took him preventive custody.

Participating in dharna, BJP State unit president K Laxman asked the agitating TSRTC workers and employees not to lose courage and strength. He made these remarks while addressing a protest programme held by workers at Suryapet.

He said that the saffron party was extending complete support to the strike of the employees. He said that the decision of the State government to extend Dasara holidays to education institutions was the first victory of the employees.

Taking an indirect jibe at Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Laxman criticised that the TRS chief who had united all political parties and civil society organisations and employees' unions during the separate State agitation, had now turned out to be their enemy.

He said that the Union government had shifted its focus on the strike and added that the BJP State unit had already submitted a report on the issue to the Central government.

High court advocates staged a demonstration and extended their support to the RTC workers in the court premises. The electricity employees' unions also declared unconditional support to the RTC strike.

Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees Joint Action Committee (JAC) co-convenor Thomas Reddy said that several union leaders who took part in the protests, were arrested in the morning hours and some of them were let off later.

"We are not afraid of arrests, as our only aim is to fight for the demands of the RTC employees," he added.