Strongly criticising functioning of the state government, Telangana State BJP President N Ramchander Rao on Tuesday alleged that the congress party which came to power with its hollow promises even deceiving lakhs of retired employees by not releasing funds of their retirement benefits.

The state BJP chief was addressing a dharna of retied employees organised at Dharna chowk at Indira Park as chief guest. The State government retired employees and pensioners organised the dharna demanding government to immediately release funds of retirement benefits of Rs 2000 crore which is pending for the last four years. A massive turnout of retired employees and pensioners including women witnessed in dharna. He alleged that the congress government has even failed keep its promise of providing Rs 4,000 unemployment allowance. He accused both the present congress administration and the previous BRS government of neglecting employees and promises to dignified retirement and employment remains unfulfilled. Rao said the previous BRS government had promised to send employees home in a government vehicle with all benefits on their last day of work which was never fulfilled and the present Congress government has only worsened the situation.

Expressing his party’s solidarity with the dharna and legitimate demands of retired employees, Rao said it was hoped that the formation of Telangana state would bring jobs to educated youth. But the employment situation in the state remains dismal during BRS regime. It was unfortunate that retired employees who have completed their service were still not being provided with their rightful benefits, he lamented.

The BJP state chief said state deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka had promised last Match to release Rs 700 crore monthly to clear bills, but not a single rupee has been disbursed to retired employees. He stated that nearly 40 retired employees have died due to mental agony and financial stress caused by the government’s negligence. Explaining the financial crisis of retired employees and pensioners Rao said nowhere else in the country five Das for government employees were pending, However, in Telangana five DAs still remain unpaid. Labelling the movement a “Dharma Youdh” Rao stated that employees hold the power to change Telangana’s political atmoshphere. He urged retired employees and their families to use their “ power of votes” in upcoming municipal elections as a platform to protest and teach a lesson to the Congress government.

The BJP reaffirmed its commitment to fighting for the rights of retired employees, in-service employees, pensioners and unemployed youth until their demands are met. The BJP leaders slammed the Congress government for failing to uphold the rights of those who spent decades serving the state. Dr K Laxman, MP and OBC Morcha national president and BJP MLCs and other senior leaders spoke on the occasion and slammed the state congress government for failing to uphold the rights of those who spent decades serving the state.