Pasting of notice on quarters of protesting NEKRTC staff, creates panic

The officials however said it is only to urge staff to join duty in the interest of people

BIJAPUR; 08 April: When Asha Jangamshetty, wife of NEKRTC driver saw a notice pasted on the door of her quarters, mentioning that the house facility would be withdrawn if her husband fails to join the duty, she was shocked on Wednesday.

Later, she realized that the officials of NEKRTC had pasted similar notices of the quarters of all 56 employees.

“ Initially, we were shocked to see the notice, but we realized soon that it is the pressure tactics being used by the government to break the unity of the employees and sabotage the protests launched by KSRTC employees demanding salary as per 6^th pay commission”, she said.

The employees alleged that after they are resorting to indefinite strike in support of the demand, the government is using pressure tactics to ensure that the employees come to duty.

But the family members of the employees who appear to be determined not to join the duty without getting their demands met, said that in no case they will succumb to the pressures of the government.

“ Some time ago, the employees had gone on strike asking the government to consider them as government employees. At that time, the government did not agree to the demand, however it announced to pay salary as per 6^th pay commission. The demand was not made by us, it was the government that offered the package. Now, it is the duty of the government to as per its assurance”, the employees said.

Asserting that there is no going back on their demand now, the employees said that they are ready for any kind of situation including removed from the quarters.

“ We have now come to the stage of fighting intensely. There is no going back on it. Let the government put any kind of pressure on us”, they said.

Meanwhile, Narayan Kurubar, Divisional Controller, in a release said that the objective of pasting notice is not to make the employees vacate the houses or to threaten them.

He said that it is only to urge the employees to join the duty as common people are suffering owing to the strike.

 “ We have no plan to vacate the houses if they don’t join the duty. Some people have taken it wrongly”, he said.