BENGALURU: Members of AAP in Rajaji Nagar Assembly Constituency announced that they will hold a procession and siege MLA Suresh Kumar's offices if COVID relief isn't given to workers immediately.
President of AAP Rajaji Nagar, BT Naganna, speaking to The New Indian Express, said, "Over 900 applications had been filed for compensation in Basaveshwara Nagar ward alone and they are yet to receive compensation."
With the help of an NGO, the party had surveyed around 40 per cent of Basaveshwara Nagar, finding that none had received compensation for the government for any of the schemes. Around four people had died in the ward and their families were eligible for compensation.
Despite Rajaji Nagar reporting a total of 50 deaths due to COVID, none of the families were compensated, according to Naganna. The government had announced a one-time COVID relief package for Rs2000 for unorganised workers, including tailors, domestic workers, mechanics, barbers and rag-pickers.
They had also announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 for those whose family members had died due to COVID. This was in addition to the Rs 1 lakh that they had promised for those who had died who were part of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.
Chitra M, who is part of the NGO that had organised the survey said, "Many I had known, including family members, had applied but no one was receiving any compensation. No amount has come for any of us which is why we did the survey."
According to the Karnataka State Unorganized Workers Social Security Board, only a total of 22,018 have been given compensation in Bengaluru Urban District, with none compensated in Rajaji Nagar.
In a press conference on November 17, Naganna announced that they would organise a procession in 15 days time if compensation was still not provided. "We are planning on starting from Ambedkar Ground and will march till MLA Suresh Kumar’s office, if needed we'll lock his offices as well," he told The New Indian Express.
"It isn't much compensation, so there’s no need for them to delay it so much, the MLA is being very irresponsible with regards to his constituency," he said.