Karnataka bus strike: BMTC dismisses 96 trainees, targets 1,293 probationers

After days of requests and appeals to end the bus strike, Karnataka government changed tack on Thursday as the corporations dismissed hundreds of trainee employees and served notice to thousands of others.

The first stern action against striking workers came from the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) which removed 96 trainees from work a day after serving notice to 1,484 of them.

The trainees were told to attend work on Thursday with a satisfactory explanation for a day's absence. “With reference to BMTC paper notification issued on April 7 to some of the trainee employees, it is to inform that 96 employees have been dismissed from their service,” it said.

On the same day, the BMTC issued notice to an additional 1,293 probationary personnel. The corporation stated that the trainees and probationers have no right to join the protest with the permanent employees of the corporation.

The KSRTC removed 32 personnel who had outstanding cases like pilferage and issued notice to hundreds. The numbers are likely to go up further as officials were collecting details from divisions till late in the evening.

In NWKRTC, at least 12 trainees were issued termination notice, while over 200 others were given show cause notice.

At NEKRTC, Managing Director Kurma Rao said the corporation has 110 trainees and those who stayed away from work were issued notice. “Further action will be initiated tomorrow (Friday),” he added.

Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, the farmer leader who is leading the protests, did not respond to calls.

To a question, R Chandrashekhar, president of the Karnataka State Road Transport Employees League, said they will fight each dismissal in the court. “We will take the legal route and ensure that these people get their jobs. In Andhra Pradesh, 49,000 employees were removed. They fought and got justice. We will follow a similar route,” he said.

When it was pointed out that the corporations have not initiated action against employees but only on trainees, he said they will raise the issue when the government calls them for talks. “Our first demand is for revocation of decisions to remove employees,” he added.