Agitating mid-day meal (MDM) workers have decided to continue their protest despite an assurance from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who visited them at Freedom Park in Bangalore on Thursday morning.
The Chief Minister told the workers that their demand of minimum wages and better working conditions would be considered. He also urged them to call off their protest.
“We will continue with our protest until the government gives us in writing the assurances made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah,” said S Varalakshmi, president of Karnataka Rajya Akshara Dasoha Naukarara Sangha, which is involved in the protest.
The mid-day meal workers’ agitation will enter its fifth day on Friday.
“If the state agrees to our demands, it will have to bear a burden of `228 crore against the existing expenditure of `34 crore. Why is this so difficult for a State that has a budget of more than a lakh crore?” Varalakshmi told mediapersons.