Mid-day meal workers brave night chill to hold protests in Karnataka
Seek permanent jobs, minimum wages and PF enrollment.
BENGALURU: Braving the chilly night, hundreds of Mid-Day Meal Scheme workers, some with their tiny tots, led an overnight protest on Tuesday at Freedom Park and its premises demanding government intervention to their problems, including fixing a minimum wage, permanent jobs and enrollment in Provident Fund (PF) scheme.
Women protestors, who gathered from 22 districts across the state, raised slogans. Around noon, some tried to organise a march to Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait’s residence, but they were stopped by police personnel.
Minor clashes
According to sources from the city police department, as many as 100 police constables, six police inspectors and an ACP were deployed at the protest venue and it was overseen by DCP (West Zone) M.N. Anuchet.
The police force had a tough time controlling the protesters and minor clashes were also reported after heated arguments with protestors.
Sait’s assurance
With the protestors adamant on meeting the minister, Mr Sait visited the venue and assured the protesters that the government will take up their issues. Blaming the Central Government for the situation, he said, “While the central government should contribute 90% of their wages, they pay the share of only '600 per head, while the state government has been paying '1600 per head as of now” .
Protests to continue
However, the mid-day meal workers have decided to intensify the protests until their demand are met, as they do not trust ‘fake promises’. According to Varalakshmi, state president of Karnataka State Midday Meals Workers Association, they would go on a hunger strike until the government addresses their demands. “We have been waiting since September and no major development has occurred,” she said.
“Even we have children at our homes to take care of. Earning Rs 40 per day makes it difficult even for our daily survival. How can we then ensure that our children get good education and a better future,” said Vijayamma, a midday meal cook from Raichur.