Hyd: BJP demands immediate resolution of OU non-teaching staff issues: Ramachandar Rao
Hyderabad, Nov 4 (TNT) : BJP Telangana President N Ramachandar Rao on Wednesday demanded that the Congress government and Osmania University authorities immediately hold talks with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) leaders of protesting non-teaching employees and resolve their long-pending demands.
Visiting the protest camp in front of the OU Administrative Building, Rao expressed solidarity with non-teaching, technical, time-scale and contractual employees who have been agitating for the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), regularisation of services and improved healthcare benefits.
He said it was painful that employees who had served the historic university for decades were forced to take to the streets to secure their legitimate rights.
Warning of intensified agitation, he said the BJP would extend direct support to their struggle if the issues were not resolved immediately.
Recalling his association with the university, where he completed his MA and LLB, Rao said his father had also served as a professor at OU.
He expressed concern that employees of an institution which had produced eminent scientists, lawyers, intellectuals and political leaders were being denied adequate wages, job security and pension benefits.
Criticising the university administration, he said time-scale and contractual employees, many of whom had been working for 25 to 30 years on meagre salaries, were yet to be regularised despite the Supreme Court’s repeated observations on the principle of equal pay for equal work.
He alleged that annual increments of Rs 1,500 due to employees were being withdrawn on the pretext of attachment of university accounts and that their financial rights were being affected in the name of provident fund-related issues.
Rao demanded restoration of the OPS for employees appointed between 2001 and 2004 and implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for those appointed after 2004.
He also sought cancellation of the LIC-linked pension arrangement, enhancement of medical reimbursement from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 and immediate clearance of pending internal promotions and recruitment notifications across departments.
Terming threats and suspension of protesting employees as undemocratic, he referred to the suspension of former association president Professor Manohar and said the matter had also been brought to the notice of the Governor.
He cautioned that the Vice-Chancellor and university administration should address the employees’ grievances without delay to protect the reputation of the prestigious institution.
As an OU alumnus and former president of the OU Law College Alumni Association, he said he had a responsibility to safeguard the dignity of the university.
BJP State General Secretary Gautam Rao, former professors, student union leaders, representatives of non-teaching associations of various universities and OU JAC leaders were among those who visited the protest camp.
TNT TS
