K Kavitha, leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and founder of Telangana Jagruthi, announced a new alliance aimed at improving the welfare of coal mine workers in the state. Telangana Jagruthi has made an alliance with the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) to advocate for the rights of workers at the state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL).
Speaking to the media, Kavitha said that the new collaboration is intended to bring about positive changes for the coal mine workers, whose welfare she claimed has been "severely undermined" by the current Congress government. She highlighted the significance of the partnership, noting that the HMS is a national-level trade union with a presence on the Central Wage Board, which is responsible for setting workers' wages. "This alliance will bring out a very positive change in working towards the rights of the coal mine workers," she said.
The SCCL, a major government-owned coal mining corporation, has a long history dating back to 1871 and operates 40 mines across six districts in Telangana. It contributes 9.2 per cent to India's total domestic coal production. The new alliance with the HMS is expected to give a stronger voice to the workers in this vital sector.
This announcement follows a recent 72-hour hunger strike launched by Kavitha in Hyderabad. The protest, which began on August 4, was a demand for the urgent clearance of the Telangana OBC Reservation Bill. The bill seeks to provide a 42 per cent quota for Backward Classes (BC) in government jobs, educational institutions, and local body elections.
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Ahead of her fast, Kavitha criticised both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing them of "playing with the destinies of OBCs of Telangana." She demanded that the OBC bill, which has been sent to the President, be given immediate assent. She also called for the immediate passing of a pending ordinance related to the reservation, which is at the governor’s level.
Kavitha accused the Congress of failing to deliver on its election promise of providing a 42 per cent OBC reservation. She claimed, "Congress promised 42 per cent reservation for the OBCs during the elections. BJP now says that it will give reservations only if there are no Muslims in the OBCs."
She further added that the Congress has yet to clarify whether Muslims are included in the 42 per cent reservation bill sent for presidential approval.
The hunger strike was, however, "compelled" to be called off prematurely after the Telangana High Court denied permission for Telangana Jagruthi and the United Phule Front (UPF) to use the protest venue.
In a post on X, Kavitha expressed her frustration, stating that while she was forced to end the fast, her organisations would return with a "much stronger strategy, involving legal and other forms, to build pressure on both the Congress and BJP parties," which she said were denying OBCs their rightful share in local body elections. The incident underscores the ongoing political tensions in Telangana over the issue of reservation and labour rights.
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