TRS Govt tampering with FIRs of RTC employees' suicides: Congress

Hyderabad: The Congress party on Tuesday alleged that the TRS Government has attempted to tamper with facts in the FIRs (First Information Reports) pertaining to suicide cases of RTC employees.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Official Spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin informed that on receiving the information about RTC Conductor Surender Goud's suicide, he immediate visited his house in Kulsumpura on Sunday night. He also visited the Kulsumpura Police Station, along with Surender's family members, where the local police were preparing the FIR. He said he was shocked to see that the police was trying to cite ill-health as the reason for Surender's suicide. "They were trying to skip the mention of RTC strike and his illegal dismissal from service in the FIR. On my intervention, the FIR was corrected and the family's version was added that he committed suicide due to depression and financial problems caused due to his illegal dismissal from service," he said.

Nizamuddin said similarly attempts were made to tamper with the FIR in the suicide case of RTC driver Srinivas Reddy in Khammam, he alleged.

Condemning the move, Nizamuddin alleged that the TRS Government was trying to downplay the incidents by tampering, manipulating or misrepresenting the facts. He said the same trick was applied in cases of suicide by farmers. "More than 4,000 farmers committed suicide in Telangana in the last five years. However, the local police were apparently directed not to register FIR in those cases or mention health and personal problems as the reason for suicide. The failure of crop or farm crisis was not mentioned as the reason in the majority of those FIRs. By doing so, TRS Govt not only avoided payment of compensation to the affected families but also suppressed the truth of agrarian crisis which drove thousands of farmers to suicide, he said.

He said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao first downplayed the farmers' suicides and then ignored suicide by students and jobless youth. Now he is trying to treat the suicide of RTC workers in the same manner. He appealed the RTC employees not to commit suicide. "Suicide is not a solution. Your fight for justice may belong, but we will get justice. Except for KCR and TRS leaders, the entire country is supporting RTC workers. Don't lose hope as you have families to take care. Think about the future of your families and don't harm yourself," he appealed.

"Private Operators May Go On Strike"

Referring to the State Government's attempts to involve private travel and tour operators to deal with the crisis, Nizamuddin said that the Chief Minister was highly opportunists. He said the State Government completely neglected the private tour operators for the last five years and did not held a single meeting even to discuss their issues. Nizamuddin, who also heads the Telangana State Cabs & Bus Operators Association, said that several representations were made to the government for the fulfilment of long pending demands. However, he said that the government remained non-responsive. "In view of RTC strike, CM KCR is trying to involve private operators, but he is still not willing to resolve their problems," he said adding that private operators would submit their demands afresh and they too would go on strike if their demands are not met.

The Congress leader said that the RTC employees have displayed the courage to fight with an arrogant and careless government. "Fighting for rights is not blackmailing. Why will any employee or private sector go on strike if his demands are fulfilled. There is a simple solution to the problem. CM KCR should directly negotiate with the unions and resolve their issues. Nothing will change unless CM changes his attitude," he said.