Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], Nov 3: The Congress party on Sunday strongly criticised Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for going ahead with the privatisation of Road Transport Corporation (RTC) despite the fact that the matter was pending in the High Court."It was illegal and unconstitutional on the part of the state Cabinet to approve 50 per cent privatisation of RTC while ignoring the fact that over 48,000 employees are on strike, seeking the corporation's merger with the state government," said Congress national spokesperson Dr Dasoju Sravan in a statement. "The Cabinet should have discussed the serious remarks made by the High Court against the state government and the officials, who furnished incorrect information. It is highly regrettable that KCR (K Chandrashekar Rao) Cabinet did not show any respect towards the High Court, which is hearing the matter," he said while asking if the Chief Minister was trying to bulldoze the institution of High Court.Sravan said that the Chief Minister has already committed a series of mistakes so far as the RTC issue is concerned and now he was trying to cover them up in the name of Cabinet decision."KCR must first convince the court that the RTC strike was illegal and all the demands raised by employees were not justified. He must clarify to the High Court that the statistics furnished by the officials were not incorrect," he said.The Congress leader expressed wonder over the Cabinet's decision to privatise 5,100 routes. Sravan ridiculed KCR for accusing RTC employees of resorting to blackmail tactics by going on strike during the festival time.He said that it was KCR who is "blackmailing employees" by saying that he would privatise remaining 50 per cent routes if the employees do not rejoin duties by November 5.He accused KCR of playing with the lives and careers of nearly 50,000 employees and their families. "A democratic government cannot be run on oral orders. KCR is not a king who can issue oral 'Firmans' from his throne," he said.The AICC spokesperson said that the employees cannot be thrown out of jobs with a single stroke and cannot be asked to return to duties unconditionally. Asking employees not to get disheartened with the insane statements of the Chief Minister, he asked them to continue the struggle till they get justice.He announced that the Congress party would support the RTC employees till they win the battle against an "arrogant and inhuman" TRS government.Sravan also urged all the employee unions to support the RTC workers."If today KCR beats the RTC unions, then tomorrow he would finish off employees' unions in all other departments and institutions. The employees will have no voice and no representatives to raise their issues and seek any rights," he said. (ANI)

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