OU JAC goes ahead; holds meeting on campus

Hyderabad: The Osmania University students unions conducted a public meeting in support of the striking TSRTC workers at Arts College in the campus on Friday. However, though varsity authorities denied permission for public meeting, the student unions went ahead with it. The TRSV activists tried to foil the meeting but were taken into custody by the police.

Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) president professor Kodandaram while addressing the gathering said, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar on Thursday after winning Huzurnagar elections spoke to media with an adamant attitude. RTC was being run by one and ticket charges were being decided by someone else.

As the Chief Minister said RTC employees cannot be carefree during work hours, every second they have to be on alert and watch the road and conductor has to check everyone for ticket. RTC bus ticket rate had been decided when the diesel rate was Rs 45 and now diesel rate is Rs 72, RTC is consuming 20 crore litres of diesel, in such circumstances how can RTC be in profits? Kodandaram questioned KCR.

AICC Secretary V Hanumantha Rao while speaking on the occasion, firstly congratulated the OU Student unions for organising such public meeting in solidarity of RTC employees amid different types of chaos. Striking RTC employees never attempted any violent means but were continuing stir in a peaceful manner, he said. He alleged that CM KCR lied that Rs 50,000 is paid to RTC employees, but in fact government was paying very less than what CM claims.

TSRTC JAC convener Ashwathama Reddy said the TSRTC is not anyone's property. The Chief Minister cannot just say that he wishes to shut it down. This is a clear attempt to destroy our unity.

The Chief Minister's statements could provoke extreme reactions and suicides. The RTC has been running since 1932 and it is not finished, moreover people will decide who will be finished, he added.

Retired High Court Judge B Chandra Kumar said that RTC is not a private organisation to make profits, rather it is a State-owned corporation. There should be no private busses driven in the RTC routes, but government is allowing so for commissions, he alleged.