Hyderabad, Jan 27 (TNT): With municipal elections approaching, the long-pending retirement benefits of Telangana government employees have emerged as a major political flashpoint, as the BJP on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress-led state government, accusing it of betraying lakhs of retired employees and pensioners.
A large protest was organised at Indira Park here under the leadership of BJP MLCs, drawing a significant turnout of retired employees, pensioners and their families.
The demonstrators raised slogans against the Congress government, alleging prolonged neglect of the rights and welfare of those who had served the state for decades.
The protest, organised by the Telangana State Government Retired Employees and Pensioners Association, demanded the immediate release of nearly ₹2,000 crore in pending retirement benefits, which, according to the BJP, have remained unpaid for the past four years.
Addressing the gathering as chief guest, BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao strongly criticised the Congress administration, accusing it of coming to power on “hollow promises” and failing to honour assurances made to employees and pensioners.
He alleged that the situation of retired employees had worsened under the present government, despite repeated commitments to clear outstanding dues.
Rao recalled that the previous BRS government had promised to ensure that employees would receive all retirement benefits on their last working day, a pledge that, he said, never materialised.
He accused both the former BRS regime and the current Congress government of ignoring the concerns of employees and pensioners, leaving promises of dignified retirement unfulfilled.
The BJP state chief also targeted Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, alleging that his assurance in March to release ₹700 crore every month towards clearing pending bills had not been acted upon, with not a single rupee disbursed so far.
Claiming that nearly 40 retired employees had died due to mental agony and financial stress caused by non-payment of dues, Rao described the situation as deeply alarming.
Highlighting the plight of pensioners, Rao said that while other states had cleared Dearness Allowance arrears, Telangana continued to have five unpaid DAs, further burdening retired employees.
Terming the protest a “Dharma Yudh,” he asserted that employees and pensioners had the power to reshape the state’s political atmosphere.
Linking the issue directly to the upcoming municipal elections, Rao urged retired employees, pensioners and their families to use their vote power to register their protest against the Congress government.
Senior BJP leaders, including Dr. K. Laxman, MP and National President of the BJP OBC Morcha, BJP MLCs and other leaders, also addressed the gathering, intensifying the political pressure on the ruling party over the handling of retirement benefits.
TNT TS
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