South Africa tour of India 2019
KTR Accuses Congress of Pushing TSRTC Towards Privatisation, Demands Fare Hike Withdrawal
BRS working president KT Rama Rao launched a scathing attack on the Congress government, accusing it of deliberately weakening the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) to justify future privatisation. He alleged that the government was planning to sell RTC assets and hand over profitable divisions to private companies under the pretext of reforms.
Following the “Chalo Bus Bhavan” protest, KTR and other BRS leaders met TSRTC Managing Director N. Nagireddy and submitted a memorandum demanding the rollback of the recent bus fare hike. During the meeting, the MD reportedly confirmed that ₹1,353 crore in dues under the ‘Mahalakshmi’ free bus travel scheme remained unpaid by the government. KTR pointed out that, in contrast, the previous BRS government had released ₹9,246 crore to support the corporation and prevent losses.
Addressing the media, KTR called the fare hike “unjust and anti-poor,” saying it placed an unbearable burden on middle-class families. He said the BRS supported the free bus travel scheme for women but criticised the government for not increasing the number of buses. “Instead, they doubled the fares for men and students. It is cruel to give with one hand and take away with the other,” he said.
KTR slammed Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, saying he was “running a circus, not a government.” He condemned the arrest of BRS leaders who were peacefully protesting and questioned why the government was afraid of a simple petition.
He emphasised that public transport is a social responsibility, not a profit-making business. “Even when RTC was in losses, the KCR government never burdened commuters. If RTC is in profit today, why increase fares?” he asked.
KTR also criticised the police, urging them to focus on controlling rising crime rates instead of arresting opposition leaders. He warned that any attempt to privatise RTC would face massive public resistance and vowed that BRS would continue its agitation until the fare hike is withdrawn.
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