Bengaluru, July 12 (IANS) Karnataka BJP has slammed the Siddaramaiah government on Saturday over the indefinite protest by nearly 30,000 staffers of municipalities across the state.

Karnataka BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra said, “Despite public life being severely disrupted and 10 municipal corporations across the state coming to a standstill, the Congress-led Karnataka government is turning a blind eye and a deaf ear.”

“I urge the Chief Minister to act responsibly and immediately respond to the just demands of the municipal corporation employees so that the ongoing strike can be called off,” he stated.

He said “discrimination policy” followed by the government in extending facilities and benefits to officials, staff groups, and government employees, giving “butter to one eye and lime to the other”, is unacceptable.

“No development work has progressed in the state for years. People are already suffering due to soaring prices and the government’s inability to ensure the smooth functioning of public services. If local bodies like municipal corporations also come to a standstill, there is no doubt that anarchy will prevail in the state,” he said.

More than 25,000 staffers and officers attached to 10 major civic agencies across the state, including the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), have gone on mass leave and launched protests in Bengaluru and various district headquarters against the state government on Tuesday, demanding the fulfilment of a slew of long-pending demands.

The protest was called by the Karnataka State City Corporation Employees’ Associations and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Officers and Employees Welfare Association.

Employees’ unions from municipal corporations in Bengaluru (BBMP), Mysuru, Hubballi, Dharwad, Mangaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Davanagere, Ballari, Shivamogga, and Vijayapura extended their support to the protest.

Their key demands include the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations; amendment of corporation service rules (CRs), which have not been updated for the past 15 years, and promotions for officers who have been in the same cadre for 10 to 15 years.

They also demanded the inclusion of garbage collectors under the Jyothi Sanjeevini health insurance scheme.

–IANS

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