Hyderabad: With no end in sight to the 13-day long strike by the employees of the State Road Transport Corporation, a sense of déjà vu was prevailing across Telangana.
A situation similar to the struggle for separate state has arisen with several sections of society coming forward in support of the striking RTC employees.
Osmania University Campus in Hyderabad, which was the hotbed of separate Telangana state movement till 2014, once again looked like a battle ground on Thursday with the students trying to take out a protest march and the police using force to thwart their bid.
Several students’ organisations had called for march to the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s official residence “Pragati Bhavan” in support for the RTC employees.
Police took into custody leaders of various students organisations including Peoples’ Democratic Students Union, All India Students Federation, Students Federation of India and Telangana Students Union when they were leading the march.
Police had also made strict security arrangements near the CM’s residence.
Meanwhile the other government employees were also coming out in favour of the RTC employees. In Nalgonda Telangana Non Gazetted Officers Association organised bike rally in support of the RTC employees.
They also announced their support to the call for a statewide strike on Saturday.
All the major opposition parties have announced their support to the general strike call.
Despite the direction of the State High Court to both the state government and the Joint Action Committee of striking employees to start talks, there was no indication of any move forward by the government.
However sources said that the Chief Minister was holding behind the doors consultations with senior party leaders and ministers.
TRS Parliamentary Party leader K Keshav Rao who called for talks with the RTC employees also met the Chief Minister on Thursday.
JAC convenor Ashwaddhama Reddy said that they were still waiting for an invitation from the government.
