Karnataka: BEML workers to protest today

Bengaluru: Over 3,000 BEML employees are all set to go on strike on Tuesday. The employees are protesting the proposed disinvestment of their company, Bharath Earth Movers Ltd. The employees in Kolar, Mysuru and Palakkad in Kerala will shut down the plants to protest disinvestment. Meenakshi Sundaram of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) said that according to information on government websites, the money the government earned from disinvestment of PSEs is over Rs 46,246.58 crore (as on March 29, 2017) during 2016-17.

Sundaram said, “The govt has decided to disinvest 74 public sector units. A majority of them are defence assets which produce equipment for the Indian armed forces. BEML is a curious case, as this PSU has been earmarked for strategic sale. As a result, more than 51% of the shares will be given to the investing firm.”