Telangana Rakshana Sena Chief Threatens Hunger Strike Over Delayed Singareni Employment Cases

Hyderabad: The head of Telangana Rakshana Sena, Kalvakuntla Kavitha, has threatened to mount an indefinite hunger strike if the state government does not address the backlog of pending Singareni employment cases tied to Medical Board approvals.

The warning came following Kavitha's visit to the KTK-5 mine in Bhupalpally on Saturday. During her visit, she criticized the Congress administration for allowing Singareni to suffer financial difficulties and faulted the government for abandoning its responsibility toward worker welfare.

Kavitha appealed to the workers and residents of Bhupalpally to rally behind Telangana Rakshana Sena, noting that her party has deep roots in the Singareni workforce through her involvement during the Telangana statehood movement.

Demands Center on 1,200 Stalled Applications

At the mine site, Kavitha raised concerns about inadequate drinking water and poor ventilation in work areas. She called on Singareni management to refrain from issuing disciplinary notices or subjecting workers to mistreatment.

Referencing a recent detonator explosion that left a worker injured, Kavitha blamed the incident on substandard explosives and alleged that corruption within government ranks had contributed to workplace safety lapses, though she provided no substantiation.

The Telangana Rakshana Sena chief set a one-month deadline for the government to process applications pending before the Medical Board. She advocated for conducting two Medical Board sessions monthly and demanded that all 1,200 applicants undergo medical evaluations. Kavitha also called for dependent family members of eligible workers to receive job placements promptly.

Kavitha declared that if Medical Board proceedings do not commence by July 20, she would initiate a Gandhian-style hunger strike. She additionally sought termination of vigilance inquiries that she said harass workers and requested corrections to name discrepancies in official employment records.

Additional Proposals for Worker Support

Beyond the immediate employment concerns, Kavitha proposed providing ₹10 lakh financial assistance to workers for home construction. She further suggested establishing a dedicated housing authority for Singareni employees to facilitate access to housing for retired workers.

Kavitha emphasized that Singareni management must make worker welfare and workplace safety central priorities.