PRTU–TS Releases Poster for CPS Abolition Maha Dharna in Hyderabad

Hans India

3 days ago

Gadwal: The Progressive Recognized Teachers Union of Telangana State (PRTU–TS), the largest teachers' union in Telangana, has intensified its movement demanding the abolition of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). As part of the state-wide agitation, the CPS Abolition Maha Dharna poster was officially released at the Mandal Resource Centre (MRC), Aiza on Saturday.
The Maha Dharna will be held on September 1, 2025, at Indira Park, Hyderabad, under the leadership of the PRTU–TS State Committee. Teachers and employees working under CPS across Telangana are expected to participate in large numbers, marking it as one of the biggest demonstrations for pension rights in the state.
Addressing the gathering during the poster release, District President Pacharla Thimmareddy and District General Secretary B.N. Venugopal strongly criticized the CPS, calling it 'an insecure and confusing scheme that threatens the future of employees.' They reminded that the Congress Party, which is presently in power in Telangana, had promised in its election manifesto to abolish CPS, and urged the government to honor its commitment immediately.
'Pension is not a charity; it is an employee's right. CPS must go, and OPS (Old Pension Scheme) should be restored for the security of employees after retirement,' the leaders asserted.
District-Level Protest Programs
To build momentum for the Maha Dharna, PRTU–TS announced a series of protest programs at the district level:
August 26 & 27: Submission of representations to local MLAs demanding CPS abolition.
August 28: Candlelight rallies at district headquarters.
August 29: Bike rallies with slogans demanding OPS restoration.
The union further declared that every CPS employee attending the Hyderabad Maha Dharna on September 1st must wear black as a symbol of protest — men in black shirts or T-shirts and women in black sarees or churidars.
Leaders Appeal for Unity
PRTU–TS leaders appealed to all CPS employees to actively participate in the movement and ensure its success. They reiterated the union's firm stand:
'CPS End – PRTU's Stand. No CPS – We want OPS.'
The poster release program was attended by Aiza Mandal President R. Shiva Shankar Reddy, Mandal General Secretary K. Balakrishna, State Associate President D. Abel, District Associate President M. Ravi, and several other union leaders and teachers.
The leaders expressed confidence that the Maha Dharna will be a 'historic struggle' in Telangana's employees' movement, sending a strong message to the government that CPS must be abolished without delay.