Indian Student activist, Safoora Zargar calls out oppression of people of J&K
Says unable to contact parents due to complete lockdown in valley
New Delhi: Indian Student activist and leader, Safoora Zargar on Thursday expressed her disappointment on the complete lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir adding that she was unable to get in touch with her parents.
Safoora took to her Twitter account and called out on people who despite knowing the oppression people in J&K are subjected to, choose to remain silent.
“I pray that each 1 of u hu remains silent & openly or secretly rejoices in this zulm upon d ppl of J&K experience d same helplessness, anxiety, fear & restlessness that I do right now” (sic) she wrote in her tweet.
Twitter users flooded her handle with words of support and comfort.
Safoora was last year arrested for allegedly conspiring the Delhi riots that broke out in Feb 2020. She was charged under UAPA and was kept in solitary confinement for months before being granted bail by a court in June 2020. She is often known for voicing her opinions loud and clear.
Vartha Bharati News Bureau/Fathima Amir Abbas
Valley is under complete lockdown. I hv nt been able 2 reach my parents hu r there. I pray that each 1 of u hu remains silent & openly or secretly rejoices in this zulm upon d ppl of J&K experience d same helplessness, anxiety, fear & restlessness that I do right now.
— Safoora Zargar (@SafooraZargar) September 2, 2021
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
