HYDERABAD: TSRTC employees who have been striking for the last nine days for the merger of the corporation with the government, were shocked after 54-year-old D Srinivas Reddy succumbed to burns during his suicide attempt. On Saturday, Srinivasa Reddy had set himself ablaze to protest the chief minister’s decision to not hold talks with the protesting RTC employees.
Leaders at the depot-level, who are in constant touch with employees, are shaken by the incident and expressed hopelessness for their futures and that of their subordinates. “Ever since the strikes began, we have been getting calls asking what the future course of plan will be and whether they would get their salaries any time soon. But we are running out of answers now,” said a depot leader in Hyderabad on the condition of anonymity.
A few others opined that they have never witnessed the situation going from bad to worse so quickly. “We feel betrayed. I personally participated in all strikes and supported the agitation against the CM, but now he is not even listening to us or trying to understand our woes,” said a senior driver from a depot in Hyderabad.
To condole the death of Srinivasa Reddy, the employees held candle light vigils at various depots and noted the government must urgently hold talks and resolve the issue. “We are now counselling our members to prevent them from succumbing to stress and anxiety that this fight has brought with itself. At least for the sake of their families,” noted Hanumath Mudiraj, co-convenor of TSRTC JAC1, who joined the candle light march at Suryapet.