Bengaluru, Apr 28: Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday demanded that the Karnataka government announce a "special package" for unorganised sector workers, street vendors and autorickshaw drivers, among others, all daily wagers whose lives are affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. "..a special package needs to be announced to this section of people, this is the demand," Siddaramaiah, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, told reporters here.
Alleging that the government has failed to control the spread of coronavirus, he said it is the government's responsibility to take care of the basic needs of those from the unorganised sector, whose lives have been impacted by the lockdown. "It is the duty of the government and they should do it immediately. The package should also be announced. I will hold discussions with leaders of other opposition parties like JD(S), CPI, CPI(M) and BSP in this regard and also on trouble faced by farmers," he added. Alleging discrimination in supply of food packets and ration kits, Siddaramaiah said it was being supplied properly only in constituencies represented by BJP legislators.
"Politics is being played out in supply of food materials to the needy, keeping corporation elections in mind.... We don't want to do politics at this point in time as there is lockdown. If things continue to be the same after the lockdown ends, we will protest on the streets," he said.
Siddaramaiah on Tuesday interacted with representatives of auto rickshaw and cab drivers, street vendors, barbers, unorganised workers organisations, among others, to understand the difficulties faced by them during the lockdown and to know whether help from the government has reached them. He said most of them don't have work and it has become difficult for them to lead their normal lives.
They raised several issues like auto and cab drivers being unable to pay road tax and EMI, he said, adding that he would write a detailed letter to the Chief Minister in this regard The former Chief Minister pointed out that there is about 21 lakh registered organised workers, 1.32 crore lakh unorganised workers and also agriculture labourers in the state.
"Among organised workers only 12.5 of the 21 lakh are said to be getting Rs 2000, that too from the Employees Welfare Fund, while others could not get any money, citing reasons like they have not renewed it," he said.
On the other hand, unorganised sector workers don't get money and were also not getting proper food or ration kits, he alleged Though the labour department claimed that it was supplying one lakh food packets and 1.5 lakh ration kits, as also corporations, there were leakages and it was not reaching the beneficiaries properly, he said.
Comments
The actual FACT is during Independence and Partition of India & Pakistan, British as usual left a piece of land so that there will be no peace between India & Pakistan (in-case if they join Hands they will become Super Power of the World). The only solution for Peace to Prevail is leave Kashmir to their people. Let them decide which part of Kashmir they want to stay, make partition, I know this won't be done as for political GAINS, Let the families of Politician start living in Kashmir and feel how it is to lose a loved ones. Just by blaming Pundits and Muslims wont work. Killing innocent people by either side is just to brainwash the Public and to keep the rivalry alive on the basis of religion and country.
Malala , you have yourself experienced how inhuman and ruthlessly atrocious Pakistan Government is. As they manipulated you and your family’s circumstances to harass, they are exploiting and manipulating India’s freeness and all-inclusiveness to keep Kashmir and its denizens in constant turmoil to get pleasure from other’s pain. They are doing same to Baluchistanis since partition and the Kashmiries of Pakistan held area are extremely unhappy and are in totters due to this policy of Pakistan.
Its Pakistan's fault not Indians....Pakistan should stop sending terrorists to India ...which is not happening at all....that is why Kashmiris suffering around there...
Malala should advise Pakistan government first not to involve with our domestic problems....
It is good for Kashmiris if they stay with India as far as their security and economic developments are concerned...
True that Malala has suffered beyond our imagination and came out of it bravely. But that doesn't make her an expert in everything.
Dear Malala, Can you please talk about the inhumanity and heartbreak in Pakistan-occupied Balochistan?
Malala Request you to please stay peaceful and stay happy and not say things that don't fit into ur vocab pls.
I didn't really used to like her but now my respect for her has gone up a lot.
Do you live in delusional world..what should paramilitary forces do if someone is breaking law and order of any country
Lets hope this time her voice will be heard as she has won Noble Prize for PEACE. Lets wish that India will keep Human Life above her EGO and will look Kashmir with HUMAN eye before there is no solution left
Dear Malala, Surely New Delhi government and Kashmiri people need to work together. Your concern is respected.
India in committing a genocide in Kashmir by killing innocent people SC must take notice of this.
As much as I admire Malala, I hate to see her get into Politics and Indo-Pak disputes. There are enough noises being made, or have been made, to no end.
please advise the kids to stop pelting stones and focus on studies to snatch the opportunities from rapidly growing Indian economy.
Thank you Malala for raising your voice in our support.
Since you are an influential opinion maker, I hope the world listen to you and stop the perpetrator from committing these atrocities against us.
Malalaji, Welcome to politics.
Dear Malala we respect you. But it is not government of India or Pakistan decide the future of Kashmir. There are some third parties who really want disturbance or conflict in the valley.
Trolls across the border always loved everything Malala spoke about. I hope they do the same now and accept stark reality!
Thank You Malala, for your kind words and care about Kashmiris
She is a teenage girl with little understanding of the dynamics of terrorism inspite of being a victim of it herself. The valley has been infected by the terror virus with religion which drove away the natural inhabitants of Pandits from Kashmir being hounded from mosque sermons. Many got murdered and not so lucky to escape. No one thought of their rights, now a generation has spent the life as refugee. Neither India nor local Kashmir government or the world body cares to it. However Pakistan terror export looks working well, but it is always the civilian who pays the price.
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