Mahbubnagar: RTC employees to defy CM's diktat

Mahbubnagar: The RTC employees, who are on strike for the 32 days, have decided to further intensify their protest. In this regard, they took a pledge at Shadnagar bus depot on Monday. As part of their pledge, the RTC employees decided to continue their stir and would not bow down to the threats and deadlines set by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.

"By setting final deadline of November 5 for all RTC employees to join duties, the Chief Minister is trying to demoralise the RTC employees and wants to break their unity. We will never bow down to such tactics of the CM. We will give our full support to the RTC union leaders and we will go by their directions and not by Chief Minister's threats," said Makam Narasimhulu, RTC JAC leader from Shadnagar.

A large number of RTC employees, who gathered at the RTC depot bus stand in Shadnagar, sat on protest on the depot premises and took a pledge. Later, they raised slogans against the Chief Minister. The opposition party leaders also expressed their solidarity with the RTC employees.

Similar pledges and protests were observed in Jogulamba Gadwal district. The RTC employees took a dig at Chief Minister KCR's adamant attitude. The RTC employees staged a protest begging and urging the public to convey their issues and problems to the Chief Minister.

The RTC employees took out a huge rally and during their rally, they begged on the streets of Gadwal district. Later, they came back to Gadwal depot and staged a protest in front of the Gadwal RTC bus depot.

"Chief Minister KCR instead of solving the RTC employees' issues and mitigating the problem, he is resorting to provocative actions, which is not good for him. At least now, the CM must shun his adamant attitude and call the RTC union leaders for talks and resolve their issues. Unless he calls us for talks for an amicable resolution, his tactics of threat and warning would not be entertained" said the protesting RTC employees.

The RTC employees pledged that until and unless the State government obliges to their demand to merge RTC with the State government, they would not budge from their stand.

Telangana Majdur Union and Depot president of Shadnagar Vijay Bhaskar Reddy, Employees Union Depot working president Parameshwariah, RTC drivers and conductors took part in the protest.