How will our dead ones rejoin duty? ask families

The bereaved families of the 22 RTC employees who breathed their last in the 34 days of the strike, gathered at Sundarayya Kala Vignana Kendram in the city on Thursday. Thousands of RTC employees were also present.

The families blame the Chief Minister’s words during earlier press conferences for the loss of lives of their loved ones. “It was during the CM’s speech, when he was talking about self-dismissal and privatisation, that the employees at home had panic and heart attacks. The CM should have kept the employees in mind before speaking like that,” said a family member of a RTC employee who died during the course of the strike. “Though he gave another chance for employees to re-join, we cannot get our loved ones back,” said another family member.

As of now, about 22 RTC employees have died, be it because of heart attacks or suicide. Leaders from various political parties were also present — Telugu Desam, Telangana Jana Samiti and others. Mr Ramana of the TD said, “It’s the government that is responsible for the death of employees. If discussions were held at the right time, loss of life would not have happened.”

Some political leaders gave financial contributions to the bereaved families. The bereaved family members pointed out that Telangana state’s sons and daughters are losing their lives while fighting for their rights even after the formation of Telangana state, which is pathetic.