BJP backs striking OU employees, seeks talks with varsity authorities

Telangana BJP leader N. Ramachandar Rao visited the protest camp of striking non-teaching staff at Osmania University, expressing support for their cause. The employees are demanding implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), regularisation of services, improved healthcare benefits, and resolution of other service-related issues.

Ramachandar Rao lamented that the university employees had been compelled to protest for what he called their rightful entitlements. He reminisced about his own time at Osmania University, having completed his post-graduation there before entering politics, and noting that his father had served as a professor in the institution.

The BJP leader criticized the administration for its lackadaisical approach towards addressing the employees' grievances. He pointed out that the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of "equal pay for equal work" and questioned why similar benefits were not granted to staff in other universities. Ramachandar Rao also highlighted the issue of delayed annual increments and demanded immediate corrective action.

He sought the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme for those appointed between 2001 and 2004, and requested the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme for employees recruited after 2004. Additionally, he called for an increase in the medical reimbursement limit from ₹10,000 to ₹30,000, and urged the university to promptly clear pending internal promotions and fill vacant positions across departments.