Hyderabad, April 24 (IANS) Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and BJP in Telangana have termed the suicide of a Road Transport Corporation driver as a murder by the state government.

They blamed the government for the ongoing strike by the RTC employees over long-pending demands.

Shankar Goud, a driver of RTC, set himself ablaze in Warangal district on Thursday during the protest by striking employees. He succumbed while undergoing treatment at Apollo DRDO Hospital in Hyderabad early Friday morning.

BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao said that it was not a suicide but a murder committed by the Revanth Reddy government.

Shankar Goud took the extreme step of ending his life solely because he could no longer bear the grave injustice that CM Revanth Reddy has been inflicting upon RTC workers for the past two and a half years, KTR said in a post on ‘X’.

He termed as ‘utterly heinous act’ the denial of permission by authorities to take Shankar Goud’s mortal remains to the RTC depot at Narsampet to pay him homage. The minister said Shankar Goud sacrificed his life for the preservation of the RTC and the realisation of his fellow workers’ rights.

He condemned the arrest of former BRS MLA Peddi Sudarshan Reddy and others for standing in solidarity with Shankar Goud’s family and demanded the unconditional release of all individuals who have been illegally arrested across the state.

KTR demanded that the government pay a compensation of Rs one crore to Shankar Goud’s family. He also demanded a government job for one member of Goud’s family. The BRS leader said the government should support the family in every possible way.

“Despite the ongoing strike by RTC workers, it is solely due to the boundless negligence of the government that we are today witnessing scenes reminiscent of past agitations, including situations driving individuals to the brink of self-sacrifice,” he said.

He remarked that three RTC drivers attempting suicide in a single day stands as a dark chapter in the history of Telangana.

KTR claimed that the RTC workforce is currently reeling under the weight of severe disappointment and despair because of Revanth Reddy — who made countless promises during the Assembly elections — has failed to fulfil even a single one of them to this day.

He said the government must immediately cease its conspiracies to dismantle the RTC; instead, it should engage in dialogue with the workers and fulfil the promises it made, as well as their legitimate demands.

Stating that the BRS party stands in full solidarity with their struggle, KTR appealed to RTC employees not to lose heart.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, has also termed Shankar Goud’s self-immolation as murder by the government. He expressed deep shock over the demise of RTC driver Shankar Goud. He told the media that the entire Telangana society is grieving today.

The BJP leader stated that RTC workers were struggling amidst numerous hardships. He said the employees were only demanding that the government implement the promises made in the manifesto.

He also alleged that the government constituted a committee as a delaying tactic, instead of addressing the legitimate demands of the employees.

The MoS also appealed to the RTC workers not to resort to suicide, as this would only plunge their families into distress.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Ramchander Rao joined the RTC employees in their protest at the Musheerabad in Hyderabad on Friday.

He extended support to what he called their rightful struggle against this insensitive Congress government.

–IANS

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