Telangana state witnessing a season of protests

Hyderabad: Several unions of employees, NGOs, electricity workers, teachers joining forces

India’s 29th state was witnessing a series of protests for the first time since its formation on June 2, 2014. Is it a sign of diluting trust on Telangana’s undisputed leader K Chandrasekhar Rao? The ongoing RTC strike, which entered its twelfth day on Wednesday, seems to be triggering hidden dissatisfaction among several sections against the TRS government.

As the RTC strike goes on, Telangana Electricity Trade Unions Front (TETUF) began staging protest dharnas. The Front is demanding the inclusion of contract workers as artisans.

“Telangana government should implement APSEB service rules to artisans as well. We demand the government include all contract workers as artisans. The state government should also implement PIL149 as awarded by the High Court Chief Justice. We also demand unlimited credit card facility to all employees, pensioners and artisans of Telangana power utilities,” said a leader of TETUF. They also demanded to implement revised pensions rules for employees joined after February 1, 1999.

NGOs are also joining hands with RTC employees. On Tuesday, all unions of employees at TNGO Bhavan had discussed several issues concerning employees of all departments and organisations. They expressed concerns over the non-fulfilment of several pending demands since Telangana’s formation. Subsequently, all unions passed four resolutions.

The resolutions include supporting the RTC strike, discussing with Chief Minister, reinstating all RTC employees and discussing with CM on problems of state government employees.

The yesterday’s meeting seems to be triggering another ‘Sakala Janula Samme’. However, it’s subject to the outcome of the meeting with the Chief Minister. TNGO leader Ravinder Reddy would meet the Chief Secretary on RTC strike and pending demands of state government employees.

Telanganites are unable to digest the changing attitude of their beloved leader K Chandrasekhar Rao. This is further validated by the opinion of netizens going viral on social media stating that Telanganites want old KCR, not the present KCR.

Unions of employees, teachers, and workers across all departments are gearing up to fight to mount pressure on the Telangana government jointly. The meeting of all the unions is scheduled for Thursday. The meeting has been postponed to Thursday from Wednesday owing to unavoidable reasons.

Several demands, on which Telangana movement strengthened, have been pending after the formation of the new state, observes Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) Chief Professor Kodandaram.

“Telanganites are patiently waiting for the fulfilment of promises made by K Chandrasekhar Rao. First three years were fine. We had to give enough breathing time for the new government. However, the first term of the TRS government concluded without delivering any promise to the people. People expected something during the second term of the KCR. Telanganites are fed up with policy and administration paralysis,” opined Prof Kodandaram, who led the second phase of Telangana agitation as Telangana JAC chairman.

He added that at this juncture, the RTC staff’s strike triggered the suppressed or hidden impatience to burst out. “That’s the reason, employees and workers from different departments are joining hands for their pending demands,” he noted. Kodandaram also questioned the credibility of the Chief Minister and transparency of the TRS government. He highlighted the fact that KCR said that there was no mention of RTC merger in the election manifesto. At the same time, pointing to the CM, the professor questioned whether privatisation was in the manifesto?