Support for State bandh grows

Hyderabad: Telangana State is set to witness total state-wide bandh following a call given by the TSRTC employees' union and other political parties, including BJP, Congress, TDP and left-wing parties as well as other social organisations. This would be the first of its kind after formation of separate state in 2014.

Though the government has directed the Transport department to ensure that about 6,000 buses that are being operated continue to ply and directed the police to ensure that there was no disruption by the political party activists or the striking employees, it is likely to be impactful as different organisations, including state government employees mainly TNGO and TGO associations, advocates' unions, state fair price shop dealers' association, Panchayat Raj workers' union and All-India Doctors Associations have extended their support to the bandh.

The TNGO and TGO association leaders said that the employees will stage lunch-hour demonstration at all their offices and express their solidarity with the agitating RTC workers who have gone on strike two weeks ago.

The RTC JAC has been demanding to resolve 45 demands, including the merger of the corporation with the government.

The law and order enforcing agencies have been put on high alert and have been asked to keep a hawk eye on the movements of the political parties and the movement of students particularly in Osmania University.

The OU students had given a call for bike rally to Bus Bhavan on Saturday. In view of this, special police battalions have already been deployed at Osmania University to check any untoward incidents.

The Chief Minister convened a meeting with the Minister for Transport and other senior officials of the department, including the in-charge MD of RTC.

The government feels that if the bandh becomes success, it could have political impact particularly on the eve of the byelection to Huzurnagar Assembly constituency.

The police have been directed to keep close watch on the activities of the political party leaders and see that the bandh fails. This will help in informing the court that the strike does not have popular support and was politically motivated.

Meanwhile, RTC employees' JAC Convenor Ashwathama Reddy said that though the union leaders were ready to go for talks if invited, there would be no let-up in the bandh.

He felt that the government was not heeding to either the directions of the court or the Governor. On the other hand, CPI leader D Raja wrote a letter to the National Human Rights Commission.

CPI national secretary K Narayana said that CPI will hold dharna in front of TS Bhavan in New Delhi to express solidarity with Telangana Bandh.