KCR Will Shut Down RTC If He Retains Power: Uttam

Hyderabad, Oct.11 (Maxim News): Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President N. Uttam Kumar Reddy warned the employees and their families that K. Chandrashekhar Rao would close down the Road Transport Corporation (RTC) if he gets elected as Chief Minister again, by mistake.

Addressing the Aatmiya Abhinandana Sabha organised by Telangana Jatiya Mazdoor Union (TJMU) at RTC Kalyana Mandam here on Thursday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the return of TRS to power in next election was a direct threat to the very existence of RTC. He reminded that KCR had threatened to close the corporation when employees gave a strike notice seeking redressal of demands. Stating that RTC provides affordable transport to common people, he said that the corporation could not be judged in terms of profit and loss.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the State Government should have strengthened the RTC by extending required financial assistance. However, citing lack of funds, KCR neglected RTC while putting the fate of thousands of employees and their families to uncertainty. He blamed Prime Minister Narender Modi led BJP Government at the Centre and KCR led TRS Govt in the State for the deteriorating condition of RTC.

He said that the RTC was incurring losses due to the rising prices of diesel. Following decrease in the prices of crude oil in the international market, fuel prices across the globe have come down. However, both BJP and TRS Government did not pass on the benefit to common people and instead, imposed various taxes to make petrol, diesel and LPG costliest in the world. He said the State taxes on petroleum products increased by five times after KCR came to power. The LPG cylinder, which used to cost about Rs. 450 during UPA regime, is now costing around Rs. 1,000. He said both Modi and KCR never held a review on how the rising fuel prices were ruining the lives of middle-class and poor people.

The TPCC Chief promised that the Congress party, if voted to power in next elections, would merge the RTC with the State Government. Further, all employees would be given pay scales and other benefits on par with State Government employees. He said parents of RTC staff would be eligible to get Old Age pension and free treatment under Aarogyasri Scheme. He also promised to accept all other demands of employees which he said were total justified. He said that the next Congress Government would take care of education of children of RTC workers besides extending their families all benefits of health insurance.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the RTC needs to be strengthened by providing required funds. He said the next Congress Government would induct a fleet of new buses and fill all vacancies in the corporation.

The TPCC chief said that KCR had spent over Rs. 500 crore of public money to construct a palatial bungalow of 1 lakh sft for himself and his family. However, he neglected RTC citing shortage of funds as the reason. He alleged that KCR and his family have wasted hundreds of crores of public money on luxury cars and travelling in private jets. He said return of TRS to power would pose a threat to very existence of democracy in Telangana and KCR family would push common people to slavery. Therefore, he appealed all RTC workers, their families and relatives to vote for the Congress and other parties in Grand Alliance if they wish to secure their future.

The meeting was also addressed by TDP leader and ex-MLA R. Krishnaiah, TJMU leaders K. Hanumanthu Mudiraj, DVK Rao, T. Sudhakar and other leaders. (Maxim News)