Agitating RTC Workers Arrested in Telangana, Convener Ashwathama Reddy Begins Indefinite Fast

Hyderabad: Ahead of the Telangana High Court's final hearing in the TSRTC workers' strike on Monday, massive arrests were made as protests continued for the 43rd day. Several agitating workers, including women, were also injured in the melee with the police.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao called a meeting at Pragati Bhavan with transport minister P Ajay Kumar and other officials over the RTC JAC Bus Roko protests.

This meeting assumes significance as the high court, which has been unhappy with the government in failing to hold talks and end strike, is most likely to deliver its much awaited final judgement to end the impasse on Monday.

Opposition parties such as -- the Congress, the BJP, the CPI and TDP hit out at the KCR government for its reluctance in hold talks despite the RTC JAC's withdrawal of demand for merger.

MRPS President Manda Krishna Madiga, POW leader Sandhya and others got into a tussle with the police for barring them from entering the house of Ashwathama Reddy near Meerpet.

They slammed the chief minister for ruling with an iron hand and oppressing the peaceful protesters in a democracy and demanded immediate talks with RTC JAC to end strike, lest see the revolt of people.

The police made arrests of leaders and resorted to lathi charge on agitating workers including women, injuring several. They further took RTC JAC leaders E Ashwathama Reddy, Raji Reddy to their residences and prevented RTC workers from staging protests in the city.

Ashwathama Reddy, whose residence was surrounded by the police, flayed the arrests and vowed to continue hunger protest until Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao call for talks.

Earlier, the police denied permission to protest at Indira Park and took the striking RTC workers into custody.

Reddy said that despite setting aside main demand of merger, the government is adamant. The JAC leaders will continue hunger protests until the government call for talks, he said.

The government owes Rs 3000 crore to the state, Reddy alleged and appealed to the chief minister to hold talks in order to end the stir.

At several districts, the RTC workers came out on the roads in large numbers and raised slogans against the chief minister.

The high court will hear all the cases of the RTC strike on November 18 and deliver a final judgement on the issue.