Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake has convened a high-level meeting along with Municipal Administration and Minority Affairs Minister Qamarul Islam, Labour Minister Parameshwar Naik and senior officials of the department on January 21 in Bengaluru to discuss the demands made by pourakarmikas working as daily wage workers in Kalaburagi City Corporation.
The pourakarmikas have been seeking regularisation of their services and payment due to them for the past four years.
Karnataka Pranta Raita Sangha president and Senior CPM Leader Maruti Manpade told The Hindu in Kalaburagi city on Saturday that the decision to hold the meeting was conveyed to him by Mr. Islam. The meeting is also likely to discuss the issue of regularising the services of pourakarmikas working in other city corporations and the demand for ending outsourcing.
Earlier in the day, leaders of different parties and social organisations led by Mr. Manpade took out a procession from Sardar Vallabhai Patel Chowk to Jagat Circle and staged a rasta roko against the lathi charge on pourakarmikas protesting near the administrative office of the Gulbarga City Corporation on Thursday night.
Several pourakarmikas were injured during the lathi charge and at least three were admitted to the government general hospital. More than 91 pourakarmikas were arrested after the lathi charge.
Mr. Manpade called the lathi charge on peaceful protesters as a violation of human rights.
They also demanded the government to order judicial probe into the alleged starvation death of Ningamma and into the police lathicharge on the pourakarmikas.
Mr. Manpade submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in this regard to Deputy Commissioner Vipul Bansal and Superintendent of Police Amit Singh.
