Telangana bus strike enters 15th day: TSRTC employees launch state-wide bandh demanding merging of transport body with state govt

Hyderabad: The state-wide bandh called by the striking employees of TSRTC pressing various demands, including the merger of the corporation with the Telangana government, began on Saturday with the opposition parties actively supporting it. [caption id=“attachment_7523811” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Left party activists supporting Telangana State Road Transport Corporation employees during a protest at their ongoing strike, in Hyderabadon saturday. PTI[/caption] The bandh is being observed a day after the Telangana High Court had directed the state transport corporation and employees’ unions to hold talks and settle all disputes before 28 October. Meanwhile, the agitation by the employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) that has badly affected bus services across the state, entered the 15th day on Saturday. The RTC has been operating services with temporary drivers and conductors. According to RTC sources, bus services were being operated in consultation with district Collectors and Superintendents of Police in view of the bandh. All major opposition parties have announced plans to organise protests during the day. TDP and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) claimed that its leaders were shifted to different police stations in the city when they tried to stage protests at the Jubilee bus station in the morning. Besides political parties, state government employees, trade unions, sections of advocates and student unions have extended their support to the bandh. Different employees and workers unions of TSRTC began the indefinite strike from 5 October across Telangana on a call given by the Joint Action Committee of RTC, demanding the corporation’s merger with the government and recruitment to various posts, among others. Ruling out discussions with the agitating unions, the TRS-led government had termed the stir as “illegal” as it caused immense inconvenience to the public. Since the strike began on 5 October, two employees have ended their lives and three attempted suicide.