Unfazed by KCR's remarks,striking staff stick to guns

Hyderabad: Undeterred by the comments of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao that the Corporation was a closed chapter now, the TSRTC workers have decided to continue their stir.

The RTC workers strike entered 21st day on Friday and the union leaders seem to not have taken the comments of the Chief Minister seriously. The leaders not only decided to continue their strike further but also met various political party leaders to gather their support for the strike.

The political parties too supported the unions and asked the staff to continue their strike. CPI leader K Sambasiva Rao has decided to take up fast unto death from Saturday at Indira Park demanding that the government provide job security to the workers.

A day after the Chief Minister's comments, the TRSTC unions and JAC leaders addressed a press conference criticising the Chief Minister for his comments on the closure of RTC. JAC Convener E Ashwathama Reddy alleged that the Chief Minister was not speaking as per his stature.

The JAC leaders took exception to the comments of the Chief Minister that they were striking only for the trade union elections. Ashwathama Reddy said that they were taking up agitation only to save RTC. They said the comments of the Chief Minister were demoralising and provoking the workers and alleged that government was responsible for suicides of the workers.

The JAC leaders were in no mood to accept the Chief Minister's observations on the TSRTC and said that K Chandrashekar Rao talked lies in the press conference. "The Chief Minister says private buses are running in profits, if it is the case, he should make the private operators operate their buses in villages.

The TSRTC buses being operated in long distance routes are making profits," claimed Ashwathama Reddy. He advised the Chief Minister to see the issue in workers perspective and not in the political point of view. If the RTC is merged with government automatically there will be no unions, said Ashwathama Reddy.

The JAC1 leader K Hanumanthu said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has no right to dismiss the workers. "As a Chief Minister, he should solve the issues of the workers, but he is provoking the workers.

Whatever the government may say, the strike will continue," Hanumanthu said.Meanwhile, the RTC JAC would be continuing their protests after Diwali festival. They would take up public meeting 'Sakalajanula Samarabheri' inviting political parties at Saroornagar Stadium in the city on October 30.

Before this, the JAC would give representations to the District Collectors on October 28 and on the next day on October 29 they would seek support from the people for the October 30 public meeting.