KCR accused of hatching plot to privatise TSRTC

Patancheru: President of district Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Nayini Narsimha Reddy and leader Wajid Ali alleged here on Thursday that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was "conspiring to privatise public transport" in the state.

They were addressing the participants in a rally from the Shramika Bhavan to Ambedkar statue here to express solidarity with the striking RTC employees. The leaders of the rally set fire to an effigy of the state government.

The CITU leaders contended that the KCR regime resembled that of the Nizam's, and that the government alone was responsible for the RTC losses. They questioned who was responsible for the government loans, if the workers were to be blamed for the loans secured by RTC.

The leaders wanted the government to take the blame for the RTC strike, while hitting out at the move to privatise public transport. They pointed out that it was the government's responsibility to provide transport facilities to people, and it was not proper to sacrifice RTC workers for the losses being sustained by the corporation.

They criticized KCR for displaying a dictatorial attitude towards the RTC workers and demanded to hold immediate talks, with a view to end the strike. The local police shifted the CITU leaders to the station and allowed them to go after registering a case. Among the CITU leaders present were Nageswara Rao, Sathi babu, Prasad, BP Reddy, Narsimlu and Murthy.