Bengaluru civic workers detained during protest outside Vidhana Soudha

Several members of the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU)-affiliated BBMP Powrakarmikara Sangha were detained by the Bengaluru police while they were protesting outside the Vidhana Soudha on Thursday. The contractual civic workers were seeking a slew of demands, including an apology from Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda for his recent remarks.

Condemning the police action, Nirmala M, President, BBMP Powrakarmikara Sangha, said, “This action by the police in preventing citizens and workers from exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest is condemnable.

“As the minister-in-charge of Bengaluru, Krishna Byre Gowda has a responsibility towards every section of this city, not just the middle class. Not once has he called a single meeting to hear the problems of powrakarmikas.

Our wages are not paid on time, we are denied ESI and PF, and contractors continue to exploit us with no action taken by the government.” Last week, Krishna Byre Gowda had made remarks on the issue of contract regularisation during surprise visits to several parts of the city, pointing out that around 30 per cent of the workers were not present.

He had questioned how workers could be made permanent in the absence of regular attendance. The remarks have since drawn mixed reactions online. Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar Shaw supported Gowda, stating that “responsible workmanship” was a prerequisite for permanent jobs.

On the other hand, CPI(ML) central committee member Clifton D’Rozario remarked that “publicly humiliating” civic workers was not acceptable.