Mangaluru: Jaya Karnataka Udupi district and DK Unit staged a protest in front of the MESCOM office at A B Shetty Circle here, on October 8.
Earlier, the protesters held a vehicle rally from Udupi to Mangaluru. Protesters drove more than 70 vehicles from Udupi and Kundapur.
Addressing the protesters, district president of JK, Divakar Shetty Hebri said that 209 people are working as “gangmen” in Udupi MESCOM from many years. “But the MESCOM officials have now recruited 95% people from Bagalkot, Bijapur and Haveri. We are here to fight for our rights and we came all the way from Udupi. The gangmen who have served for MESCOM from many years have been cheated by the officials. They were working on contract basis thinking that one day their job will be made permanent. But now MESCOM has brought new rules for gangmen with minimum qualification of SSLC. Jaya Karnataka condemns the sudden changes by MESCOM in recruiting gangmen based on qualification.” The protesters demanded that the managing director to personally receive the memorandum from them.
Honorary president of JK, Nanda Kumar said that the gangmen appointed by the MESCOM on contract basis are given the work of electrical wiring, installation of electric poles and the maintenance of the same. “All the gangmen are very transparent and sincere in their work. Without regularising the existing gangmen, officials have recruited new gangmen from Bagalkot, Bijapur and Haveri without considering the work experience of the contract gangmen.” He demanded that the local gangmen be given priority and given permanent jobs.
The protesters demanded the managing director to personally receive the memorandum from them but the MD initially refused. Finally, the MD received the memorandum from the protesters and assured to look into their demands.
Earlier, the Swamiji of Paryaya Kaniyoor Math Vidyavallabhateerta flagged off the vehicle rally in Udupi.
B Sudhakar Rao Barkur, Nithyananda Amin Udupi, Karunakar Poojary Brahmavar, Annappa Kulal Hebri, Srinivas Shettigar, Rangankere, Nagaraj Ganiga Saligrama, Karunakar Marpalli, S S Tonse Udupi, Samson Brahmavar, Pradeep Shetty Hebri, Niranjan Hegde, Harish Shetty Uchila and others were also present.