Transport workers stage protest in Bengaluru, allege govt failed to fulfil demands

The Karnataka government had asked for 60 days to implement the demands of the transport employees put forth in December 2020.
Transport workers protest
Transport workers protest

A section of workers employed in various road transport corporations in Karnataka, including the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) staged a one-day protest in Bengaluru’s Maurya Circle on Tuesday. The miffed employees of the transport corporations have warned the government of a dire situation if they fail to fulfil their demands; however, transport services in the city were largely unaffected.

Led by the prominent farm leader and honorary president of the Karnataka State Road Transport Employees League Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, the employees have staged a 24-hour hunger strike. This is a day after the expiration of the government’s 60-day deadline for meeting the demands of the employees that they put forth in December 2020.

Speaking to reporters at the demonstration, Kodihalli Chandrashekhar said the state government must implement the demands that were put forth by the transport corporation employees.

“The government has fulfilled only one demand so far and the major ones that we wanted are yet to be fulfilled. Every other employee got their demands met, ours is the only department that has been struggling to get them fulfilled,” said Chandrashekhar, an employee with the BMTC.

He further added that the sector is a service-oriented one and one cannot expect to derive profits from this. “The government claims that they are fulfilling our demands and will coordinate with us but we see no progress. Why this laxity towards us employees?”

The employees had in December 2020 staged a protest, putting forth ten demands in front of the Karnataka government, of which nine were accepted. Their major demands were that they be brought under the government’s payroll, be awarded the same incentives and privileges as government employees, and to receive compensation for those who lost their lives to COVID-19. They also asked for healthcare insurance and the benefits of the sixth pay commission.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Lakshman Savadi has said that three of the nine demands have been fulfilled, and work to implement the rest is underway.

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