Published Nov 06, 2026 | 8:59 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 06, 2026 | 8:59 PM
Employees sit on the floor while discussing their grievances with the depot manager.
Synopsis: The viral photograph shows the depot manager sitting behind his office table while several employees, including JAC representatives, sit on the floor in front of him. Some of them appear to be explaining their grievances to the official. The unusual manner in which the meeting was conducted has drawn sharp criticism, with many questioning why employees who approached an officer to represent their problems were not even provided basic seating arrangements.
The conduct of a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) official in Siddipet has drawn widespread criticism after a photograph showing Joint Action Committee (JAC) representatives sitting on the floor while submitting grievances to the depot manager went viral on social media.
The incident has raised questions over the attitude of field-level officials towards employees and the dignity accorded to workers in a public-sector organisation.
The photograph shows the depot manager sitting behind his office table while several employees, including JAC representatives, sit on the floor in front of him. Some of them appear to be explaining their grievances to the official. The unusual manner in which the meeting was conducted has drawn sharp criticism, with many questioning why employees who approached an officer to represent their problems were not even provided basic seating arrangements.
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The episode soon attracted the attention of Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, who expressed displeasure and ordered an inquiry into the conduct of the Siddipet depot manager. Responding to the controversy, the minister said the government prioritised workers’ welfare and self-respect and that officials had a responsibility to treat employees with dignity and respect.
Prabhakar emphasised that RTC employees played a crucial role in strengthening the organisation and that their contribution could not be overlooked. He also warned that action would be taken against officials displaying negligence or inappropriate behaviour towards employees. The minister said he had personally enquired into how the depot manager dealt with the workers and directed officials to examine the episode.
The controversy comes as RTC employees have been pressing for the resolution of several longstanding service-related demands. Their concerns include pay revision, pending financial benefits, recruitment, promotions, job security and improved working conditions. The employees recently resorted to a statewide agitation over 32 demands, which led to prolonged negotiations with the government before an understanding was reached on several issues.
The latest incident has once again brought the relationship between the RTC administration and its workforce into focus. Employees’ representatives are expected to be treated as stakeholders in the organisation’s functioning rather than as subordinates seeking personal favours from officials.
While the minister-ordered inquiry is expected to establish the circumstances under which the meeting was conducted, the episode has raised a larger question about administrative accountability and workplace dignity. Providing a chair to an employee representative may seem like a small gesture, but it reflects an institution’s attitude toward the people who keep it functioning.
For an organisation that depends on thousands of employees to provide an essential public service, respect for its workforce should be an administrative principle, not a concession extended at the discretion of individual officers.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
