RTC employees who went on strike will not be taken back: CM

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has instructed the officials concerned to make arrangements so that cent per cent RTC buses would ply on the roads.

The Chief Minister clarified that the government would not recognize the illegal and unlawful strike under any circumstances, there was no question of having any talks with those on strike. He also announced that the employees went on strike on their own and abstained from duties will not be taken back come what may. He instructed the officials to pay September salaries to those who were not participating in the strike and attending to their duties.

KCR also instructed the officials concerned to appoint required employees to run 50 per cent of the RTC buses, take 30 per cent of buses on hire and give stage carriage route permits to 20 per cent private buses. Since it would take some days to restore 100 per cent bus services and it may cause inconvenience to the students, the CM announced the extension of Dussera holidays till Oct 19.

The Chief Minister held a review meeting on the situation arisen due to the RTC strike at Pragati Bhavan here on Saturday. Ministers Puvvada Ajay Kumar, Sabita Indrareddy, MLA Balka Suman, senior officials Sunil Sharma, S. Narsing Rao, B Janardhan Reddy, Sandeep Sultania, Transport Joint Commissioners Panduranga Naik, C Ramesh, Mamata Prasad, DTCs Praveen Rao, Paparao, RTC EDs TV Rao, Yadagiri, Vinod, Venkateswarlu, Ramesh and others participated.

"Restore bus services in RTC cent per cent. For this, if need be, recruit employees, utilize the services of retired RTC and Police department drivers. Recruit those having experience in driving heavy vehicles and buses. Officials should work day and night and restore 100 per cent bus services at any cost." the CM instructed.

"As decided by the government already, RTC should run its own 5, 200 buses, i.e., 50 per cent of the buses. Recruit employees accordingly. Operate 30 per cent (3100) private buses on hire basis. As on date there are 21 per cent private buses on hired basis. Give notification for the rest of 9 per cent. Give stage carriage route permissions to 20 per cent (2100). Start doing the exercise in this regard," the CM said.

"Workers have blindly believed the irrelevant talk of the union leaders and abstained from duties and lost their jobs voluntarily. This is it. Nobody dismissed anyone. Supervisors were also dragged into the strike, which never happened in the past. Union leaders have acted with utter irresponsibility and became a reason for 48,000 employees losing their jobs. There is no scope of taking back employees who abstained from duties. There is no question of having any talks with them, the question does not arise. There is no question of pardoning the workers who inflicted loses to the RTC and put passengers to hardships during the festival time. This is not a strike but an unlawful action, which put people to inconvenience. The government is acting firm on this issue. September salaries of employees and workers who attended to the duties will be released," the CM announced.

"It is immoral and unethical that certain political parties are extending support to the illegal and unethical strike. The political parties, which are supporting the unlawful strike, which is causing inconvenience to the people, have no support from the people. In fact, there is no credible Opposition in the State. The present situation in the State is like "Nadaan Dushman". The political parties are eager to take political benefit of the situation, which is hope against hope. The political parties, which are supporting the strike, will have to face the public outrage. It was due to the wrong stand they have taken on some issues in the past, the political parties have lost the public support. The same thing will happen in the RTC issue also. The demands put forth by the workers are not implemented in the States where these political parties are in power and this fact the people have realized," the CM said.

"BJP leaders are talking a lot here. The BJP, which is in power at the Centre, is privatizing the Indian Railways. Airlines are privatized. Even Secunderabad Railway Station is privatized. Trains are being privatized. The Central government in its Budget stated that it is raising funds by disinvestment in several Public Sector Undertakings. This is how the BJP leadership is taking decisions at the Centre and their leaders are talking exactly opposite here," the CM said.

"People claiming themselves to be union leaders are saying they will intensify the stir. Even if they intensify or take any steps, the government will not be shaken or feared. The government has the commitment to run the buses and providing hassle-free transportation to the people. The government will not tolerate if attempts are made to stop the buses, organizing dharnas at the bus stations and depots. We will not tolerate any goondaism. Till date, the government was a bit tolerant. Now onwards, it would act sternly. The government will initiate strict measures if anyone tries to stop the buses or involved in violence," the CM warned.

From the review meeting, the CM spoke to DGP Mahender Reddy. "Increase security cover at all the RTC depots and bus stands. Set up CC TV camera at every point. Utilize the service of the intelligence department too. Utilize the services of women police. Book cases, arrest and sent people to court those indulging in unlawful activity, violence and those trying to stop the buses. There is no point in tolerating those indulging in damaging and destroying the property in the name of agitation," the CM told the DGP.

"Cent per cent RTC buses will run in three to four days. Till then, in order not to put students to inconvenience, the government has extended the Dussera vacation till Oct 19. To complete the syllabus, educational institutions can have second Saturdays and other such holidays as working days. By Oct 21, all categories of buses will be operational. Students having bus passes should not suffer. Students having the bus passes can travel to their schools," the CM announced.