TSRTC conductor writes an emotional resignation addressing KCR and his ‘golden Telangana’

Hyderabad: A TSRTC bus conductor belonging to Suryapet depot wrote a resignation letter addressed to the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The conductor, Lunavath Krishna, belongs to Aravapalli Mandal.

The letter begins with Krishna questioning the very reason for being born in Telangana. He mentioned that he wanted to do his job and live with respect. However, he was “subjected to depression” to the point that Lunavath wonders why he was even born in Telangana. He adds that his decision to resign was due to his depression.

He says, “We (the RTC workers) have known of late that you (KCR) are not keeping your word and is cheating us. Therefore, I am resigning from this job rather than you firing me.”

He goes on to add that he never expected Telangana to have fascism. “When 1,200 employees committed suicide, when I thought that Andhra rulers might have betrayed us, I believed that our KCR would look after us. However, when our 30 employees died, you didn’t even respond. That is when I felt that Telangana is not for us, but for leaders like you,” added Lunavath Krishna.

He notes that he never thought that he would see his fellow sisters hit by lathis, and added that it was “possible in your (KCR’s) golden Telangana”. Lunavath Krishna finds it unbearable to see his sisters crying, and his colleagues disappointed. “One thing is true, sir, my sisters’ curses will definitely affect you.”

He says, “Please, remember your speeches when you were a campaign leader, and your attitude now. RTC employees have admired you a lot, and they never believed that you would do this to them. The RTC employees were living with utmost dignity, looking after their family with their Rs 15,000-salary. It would have been enough for you to have at least called them and spoken to them.”

Lunavath adds that while he is not happy in KCR’s “golden Telangana”, the other employees have “believed in you and cast their vote to you”. He urged the CM to give the employees their retirement pension. “They were suffering, and people were looking at them cunningly. Everyone has been looking at me with hatred. I couldn’t bear it anymore,” he added.

With the arrests and lathi charges happening every day, he kept on thinking about the “apparent crime” his RTC colleagues have done and how many more suicides would happen. “I was unable to bear all of this. I am one of the people who were betrayed for trusting your delusionary words. Now that I’m an unemployed individual in your Telangana government, I would request you to give my parents their retirement pension. Since I don’t have land in my name, I would request you to give me a three-acre farm and education to my kids in a government school. I don’t even have a house to live in, and so I request you to give me a double bedroom flat.”

Lunavath adds that even if KCR doesn’t give him anything, he expects to have an opportunity to live in a society with honour. “I kindly request you to clear my dues from the organisation. I have been performing my duties as an RTC conductor with Suryapet depot to a disruptive, over-talkative and non-human arbitrary government. I can’t work by killing my self-respect. That is why I am resigning from my duties,” wrote Lunavath Krishna.