At least five lakh members are likely to participate in the meeting, the JAC said.
Courtesy:Screenshot/v6
The TSRTC Joint Action Committee announced on Sunday that a huge public meeting (Sakala Janula Samarabheri Sabha) has been planned for October 30th, with at least five lakh members likely to participate. The venue of the event is yet to be finalised.
Addressing the media, Ashwathama Reddy, JAC convenor announced their protest plans for the next 6 days. “Tomorrow (October 21), the TSRTC employees and their families along with children will protest in front of the bus depots.”
On October 22nd, the protesting employees will attempt to persuade the temporary drivers against working for the TSRTC. On October 23rd, an all-party meeting will be held with public intellectuals. On the 24th, women conductors will protest in front of the depots. On the 25th, the protestors will block roads and highways. And on the 26th, the children belonging to TSRTC families will protest.
“Due to the strike there is no possibility of us celebrating Diwali festival,” said Ashwathama.
Urging the temporary drivers to abstain from working, Raji Reddy, JAC co-convenor said, “The temporary drivers are like our brothers and children, Don’t go for temporary work, demand for permanent jobs. In TSRTC, there are 7,000 unfilled vacancies. Telangana was achieved for employment. We appeal to the temporary drivers and conductors to abstain from work.”
On October 19, the TSRTC JAC had called for a statewide bandh. In the bandh, several workers’ unions and Opposition political parties, including the Congress, BJP, CPI, CPI (M), CPI (ML), MRPS, took part in the protest. The bandh remained largely peaceful, barring minor incidents of violence.
Meanwhile, schools and colleges are reopening on October 21 after a long vacation owing to the ongoing crisis. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had earlier assured to students that by October 19, they would resolve the crisis and all the buses under the TSRTC would run normally. The TSRTC operates roughly 10,000 buses. Presently, they are able to run only 6,000 vehicles by hiring temporary drivers and conductors.
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