The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees and Joint Action Committee (JAC) decided to temporarily drop the demand of merging the TSRTC with the State Government.
On the 14th of November, the TSRTC protested and submitted a memorandum to the TSRTC officials near an Ambedkar statue in front of a bus stand and requested them to address their demands and issues.
E. Ashwathama Reddy, the President of the JAC and TSRTC leaders asked the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to resolve the matter. The decision to drop the merger demand came after many TSRTC employees died due to heart attacks and several others committed suicide.
In the wake of employees taking their lives, the TSRTC temporarily dropped their merger demand and asked the TRS Government to consider their other demands and resolve the matter.
After the TSRTC employees’ decision, the TSRTC strike is expected to end soon.
On the 14th of November, the TSRTC JAC conducted an all party meeting at the Employee Union office in Hyderabad. Senior Indian National Congress (INC) leader V. Hanumantha Rao, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader Jithender Reddy and Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) founder Prof. Kodandaram attended the meeting. During the meeting, the JAC leaders decided to go forward with only 25 demands, which include welfare schemes and insurance for the TSRTC staff.
Ashwathama Reddy said as of now, the demand for the merger is not that important and could be discussed later. The major focus of the TSRTC employees would be on the other 25 demands.
The stepping back of the TSRTC employees would prove the TRS right. In the affidavit submitted by the TRS, the Party stated the merging of the TSRTC with the State Government is impossible. TSRTC leaders said the main concern for them now is the lives of the TSRTC employees, which are in danger as the employees are extremely stressed due to the strike.
The TSRTC and the TRS are expected to hold talks soon. However, an official announcement regarding the meeting is yet to be made.
The TSRTC employees went on strike on the 5th of October and on the 14th of November, the strike entered its 41st day.
Stay tuned for further updates.
