File picture of former Telangana Minister and BRS MLA T. Harish Rao

HYDERABAD

In a bid to champion the rights of government employees and pensioners, the Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has decided to launch a coordinated campaign to pressure the Congress government in the State into addressing long-pending demands and fulfil all promises made to them in the run up to elections.

Leaders of the BRS, as the principal Opposition, asserted that they could not remain silent while lakhs of serving and retired government employees continued to face neglect and hardship including the inordinate delay in the settlement of pension benefits to those who retired from service after attaining the age of superannuation.

A key meeting on the party’s plans was held on Friday at the residence of senior leader Harish Rao, chaired by working president of the party K. T. Rama Rao. The meeting brought together former leaders of employees’ associations, retired officials and representatives of various teachers’ and employees’ unions.

Participants discussed the deteriorating situation over the past 18 months, alleging that the Congress government had failed to deliver on its pre-election promises to the employees. Core demands such as clearing pending Dearness Allowances (DA), implementing the Pay Revision Commission (PRC) recommendations and releasing pensions and retirement benefits on time were in focus.

Several participants expressed concern over the denial of basic rights, including settlement of retirement benefits in time, and said that the retired employees were being forced to run from pillar to post in their old age to get the retirement dues.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Rama Rao and Mr. Harish Rao expressed deep concern over the State’s apathy, particularly towards the retired employees. “It is our duty as the principal opposition to stand by government employees and those retired from service after the Congress has come to power. “We won’t stay quiet while lakhs of employees suffer at the hands of a negligent government”, they said.

The BRS leaders stressed the need to develop a clear action plan in the coming days. The party also announced its support for serving employees’ union leaders and urged the union leaders, particularly those who played a key role in the Telangana statehood movement, to take part in the renewed struggle.

“The BRS has always stood by the aspirations and rights of employees. We are committed to working with them and bringing pressure on the government to ensure justice,” the party leaders said and added that the party would soon unveil a detailed action strategy soon by enlisting the support of union leaders.