Protests galore in city on Monday
The city witnessed a series of protests by members of Dalit Sangharsha Samithi (DSS), gangmen of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (Cesc) and State-Level Horticultural Trainings Association on Monday.
Protesters under the banner of DSS staged a demonstration in front of the rural police station demanding action against police and those found guilty of discriminating against Dalits.
Accusing the police department of failing to prevent crime against Dalits, they said instead of arresting the culprits, the former try to arrive at a compromise. This attempt by police personnel denies justice to the victims, they said.
Ambedkar’s portrait has been desereted in Varuna hobli, a teacher is refusing to teach Dalit children in Ayarahalli Government Higher Primary School, upper caste people have assaulted Dalits in Periyapatna taluk, they alleged. Police department should be held responsible for such attacks, they demanded.
DSS taluk convenor Choranahalli Shivanna, Alanahalli Shivamadu, Suresh, Mahesh, Kuppegala Somanna, Puttaswamy and others were present.
Regularise services
Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) demanded that the services of gangmen working in Cesc be regularised. They staged a demonstration in front of the deputy commissioner’s office on Monday.
About 3,500 gangmen are working since 2004-05. The energy minister has already announced that gangmen would be regularised and the approval was given in the previous budget. The department has more than 50 per cent of vacancies. They should be filled immediately, the protesters demanded. DYFI president C Puttamallaiah and others were present.
Fill vacant posts
State-Level Horticulture Trainings Association undertook a rally from Kote Anjaneyaswamy temple in the city to Bangalore on Monday, demanding the state government to fill vacancies in the horticulture department and education department.
Even though a memorandum was submitted to the previous chief minister, horticulture minister, director, education department commissioner, no action has been taken. They urged the government to initiate necessary measures to fill the posts.
The protesters said they would be walking 30 km everyday and would reach Bangalore on October 21. They would also hold a protest at Freedom Park in Bangalore, said association state president Mooganahundi Yogesh.
