BJP slams Karnataka govt over transport staff strike
BENGALURU: Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra slammed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over nonpayment of pending dues to KSRTC employees. He alleged that this is because of the financial crisis the state government is facing.
He said here on Tuesday, “The government has stopped buses to rural areas after the government started implementing the guarantee schemes. Now with the transport strike, college students and the public are facing inconvenience.”
He demanded that the CM immediately resolve issues related to wage and other benefits due to road transport corporation employees.
“The government has been facing a financial crisis for the last many months which has reached its peak now. The CM is in a position where he cannot resolve this issue,’’ he alleged.
Former deputy CM and BJP MLA Dr CN Ashwath Narayana charged that the state government employees are not being paid on time, while retirees have been deprived of gratuity and other benefits. “After the Stree Shakti scheme (that allows free ride for women in government-run buses) was implemented, all buses are full, but the ticket money has not been paid to transport corporations,” he said.
Former minister and senior party leader CT Ravi said the state government is blaming the previous BJP government for the financial duress. “But even after 26 months of being in power, why is the Congress government still talking about this,’’ he questioned.
CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that the state government would safeguard interests of the employees of transport corporations. “Ours is a pro-workers government and we are committed to safeguard their interests. History is witness to the fact that the BJP is against workers and farmers,” the CM stated, hitting out at the Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.
The BJP leaders had alleged that the transport corporation employees are suffering due to misgovernance. Ashoka had demanded the chief minister’s resignation. Siddaramaiah said the government is committed to paying dues and it was communicated to the employees but despite that they went on strike.
The CM said he had held meetings with the representatives of the state transport corporation employees, and before that, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy had held discussions with them. Reminding Ashoka about the transport corporation employees’ strike when the BJP was in power in the state, Siddaramaiah said a single-member committee had recommended paying Rs 718 crore pending salary revision, but that was not done.
The CM said that when Ashoka was the Transport Minister during the BJP government, transport corporation employees’ salaries were delayed, recruitment was stopped, and the addition of new buses was halted.