Thousands of women, children spend night on road

Thousands of gram panchayat workers, who began indefinite protest in Freedom Park, on Thursday, seeking immediate fulfillment of their demands spent the whole night by sleeping on the road adjacent to the Freedom Park.

Only a few of them had ensured accommodation for themselves. Most of them are poor with no money to book rooms in lodges. Many among them were women and children. One side of the road connecting K G Road from Freedom Park end was totally blocked as they slept on the road. The women protesters had great difficulty as there was no place for them to
answer nature’s call. 

The police deployed additional men to ensure safety.

Earlier in the day, they held a protest rally at the Freedom Park seeking fulfillment of their demands. They alleged workers who are rendering services on contract basis in various gram panchayats across the State were in distress. 

The government issued an order in 2008 fixing minimum pay scale for the workers which has not been implemented by many gram panchayats, they alleged.

They said they received salaries once in a year or once in every two years. Moreover, steps have not been taken to regularise their services. The then Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister and current Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar had recommended the increase in pay scale. He should immediately take steps to redress the grievances, they added. They took out a procession from City Railway station which culminated at the Freedom Park.