Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday warned the government employees not to fall prey to Opposition’s political machinations. The CM appealed to the employees to avoid building pressure on the government with their demands and focus on state’s development without causing problems to the people.

Addressing the police officials at an event held in the city, Revanth Reddy urged the protesting trade unions to not become pawns in the hands of Opposition parties, which are aiming to destabilise the government. “If you (employees) hold dharnas with new demands, the existing system will collapse. If you, who are supposed to act responsibly, forget your responsibility, the Telangana society will not tolerate it,” he cautioned.

Over the possibility of getting new loans for the state, Revanth Reddy clarified that there was a bleak chance at this juncture.

He said that the employees would have got what they wanted but the government was unable to help in this situation, as getting new loans from anywhere became a Herculean task. “Self-regulation is the solution to this. Dear leaders of trade unions, you are like family to the state government and don't run down the family’s honour. The state's economy has been damaged. Even if you cut me, I can't do anything beyond the present income I get,” he pointed out.

Blaming the previous government for the precarious economic situation of the state, Revanth Reddy accused former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of pushing the state into financial doldrums. “The person who caused economic destruction is now sleeping comfortably in a farmhouse. For the trade unions leaders, the need of the hour is not a confrontation, rather there is an urgency for keeping restraint. I appeal to all of you not to hand over Telangana to a group of monkeys (BRS party) once again,” he urged.

The Chief Minister maintained that the government was paying Rs 7,000 crore every month to employees as salary despite inheriting a burden of Rs 8,500 crore in the form of arrears of retirement benefits, from the previous regime. “Some political parties are accusing us, but whatever pending arrears we now have from the previous government,” he alleged.

The Chief Minister pointed out that the previous government did not clear large number of bills to contractors in power and other sectors. “The leaders of the trade unions should cooperate when the government is in financial difficulties. Against whom are they waging the battle? Don’t the leaders of the labour unions have the responsibility to stand by the people when they are in trouble? I appeal to the leaders of the trade unions, let us discuss if there is any problem. We are not here to fight, we are here to serve the people,” he emphasised.