News & Pics: Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network–Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Apr 7: State president of Karnataka state government employees union, B P Manjegowda called for a day's token strike on June 2 to protest against reported discrimination between salaries and allowances paid to central government and state government employees by the state chief minister ignoring several requests to set right the anomalies.

He was speaking after presiding in the Mysore zonal conference 2016 of the Karnataka state government employees held at Kundapur Gandhi maidan.

“The government is being given 45 days ultimatum and the protests will be withdrawn if the government responds to our demands and promises to implement them. A protest on the scheduled day is inevitable if the demands are not met as it is a question of life for the employees,” he said.

“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has presented eleven budgets. He has not made a mention of government employees in it. Though we meet the Chief minister and request him, he is putting forward technical reasons. We are also bound by N P S employee’s campaign. The attention of the union government will be drawn regarding cancellation of pension project,” he said.

Member of Rajya Sabha, Oscar Fernandes inaugurated the programme. Head of Moodbidri Alvas Institute Dr Mohan Alva said that under government system, the defeat of employees is a defeat of the common man. “The government should bring uniformity taking extra interest in government employees who struggle to implement government programmes,” he said.

Member of Vidhana Parishat, Kota Srinivasa Poojary said that he will work hard to implement the suggestions of 7th pay commission in the state.

MLA K Gopala Poojary, Municipal council president Vasanthi Saranga, Karnataka state government employees union honorary president H K Ramu, Chief secretary B M Patel Pandu, Treasurer Yogananda, Senior Vice president Basavaraj Gurikar, Mysore zonal Vice president, president M K Prakash, Dakshina Kannada district government employees union president Prakash Nayak, Mandya district employees union president K Nagesha, Kodagu union president K B Ravi, Chamaraja union president R Rachappa, Chickmagalur union president S B Parameshwarappa, teacher's central union Vice president Narayana Swamy, state union leaders Puttaswamy Gowda, Marigowda, Kundapur municipal Vice president Rajesh Kaveri, M P Gafoor and others were present.

Quality export Goa managing directors M M Ibrahim, Rathnakar G Shetty of Mumbai Thane Rathna palace were felicitated on the occasion. Seven district president, taluk presidents and office bearers from other districts were felicitated on the occasion.
Karnataka state government employees union Udupi district president Subrahmanya Sherigar welcomed. Karnataka state government employee’s union Kundapur president Dinakar Shetty gave a key note address.

Venugopal Hegde Vakwadi, Prashanth Shetty Havanje, Ganapathi Hobalidar Byndoor compered the programme. Union's Kundapur Chief secretary Chandrakanth B proposed vote of thanks.

Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes who inaugurated the programme said that sincere efforts by government employees are responsible to bring about the government projects in front of the people.

Preparations were made extensively for the conference which expected to see the participation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. However neither the chief minister nor the six ministers mentioned in the invitation arrived.