Congress backs RTC staff strike

Hyderabad: Congress on Friday has announced its support to the strike of the RTC employees and demanded the government to take steps to address the issues faced by them.

Addressing the media, separately, MLC T Jeevan Reddy, MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and AICC secretary V Hanumantha Rao have condemned the government's repressive attitude towards the RTC employees.

Jeevan Reddy said that though the strike notice was given two months ago, the government did not respond. He made it clear that the government must take responsibility for the strike. While the government has been talking about discussions with the employees, it has been making alternate arrangements, he faulted.

The MLC alleged that a conspiracy has been hatched by the government against the RTC. He stated that if the government postpones construction of Secretariat the issues of the RTC employees could be addressed. He said that the RTC employees have played key role in Telangana movement.

Questioning the silence of Finance Minister Harish Rao on the strike, the MLC said that the minister was a former president of RTC union and Harish was in fear of losing his post. Hanumantha Rao criticised that the government has been behaving like a dictator in the matter of RTC.

He said that everyone has a right to go on the strike. MP Venkat Reddy demanded the government to solve the issues of the RTC employees. It was the responsibility of the government to prevent the strike, he added.