HYDERABAD: OVER 1,000 people gathered to take part in the massive public meeting organised in front of the Arts College of Osmania University on Friday, in solidarity with the striking TSRTC unions and the unemployed youth of Telangana. The denizens came together on the campus to protest against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, alleging that he broke all the promises he made to the people of Telangana.
The meeting started at about 4.30 pm under strict police vigil. The representatives of TSRTC JAC, 29 student organisations and political parties spoke at the gathering. TJS president Kodandaram and Congress’ VH Hanumanth Rao were some of the few prominent leaders who came in to lend their support to the agitation. Numerous leaders from other regional parties were also present.
The clarion call for the protest was against KCR’s unkept promises to both the RTC staff and the students of Telangana. “Our fight is not for any politician or party as the CM claims. Our fight is for the people, for employee rights. The CM has fooled the public with wrong figures about RTC finances,” said Raji Reddy, co-convenor of TSRTC JAC. “Ashwathama and I are from rival unions. But we have teamed up now for the workers’ welfare. Will TRS and Congress fight together for the people? That is the power of workers’ unity. This fight is for the people alone,” Raji Reddy went on to add.
The public meeting, however, did not go down well with the OU authorities, who had banned protests in 2017. The management even cut off the power supply to dissuade them.
Scuffle breaks out
A minor scuffle broke out during the protest at OU, as the activists of TRSV, a student wing of TRS, tried to disrupt the meeting.The police subsequently detained 14 TRSV leaders