BEML staff protest against privatisation bid

Various organisations support the BEML staff in their fight

In one voice: BEML employees taking out a rally in Mysuru on Tuesday.

Employees of Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), Mysuru, on Tuesday took out a mega rally to protest against the Centre’s move towards privatisation.

Various organisations, including Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, supported the BEML staff in their fight against the government’s move to sell 26% of its shares in the PSU. The rally began from Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple in front of Mysuru palace to the Gandhi Square. Placards opposing the privatisation of the entity were carried by the protesters. The Employees’ Association had recently met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and presented a memorandum to him to pressurise the Centre to drop the move.

A few months ago, the Centre approved the disinvestment move to lessen its shareholding from 54.03% by 26%.

The BEML Employees’ Association in Mysuru has been opposing the disinvestment move and described it a stage towards the privatisation of the entity. An association had been formed by the BEML staff here to oppose the move and a series of protests had been conducted over the last few months to oppose the same and mobilise support from various organisations and the people of Mysuru.

The protesters asked, “Why is the Centre selling its stake when the company is making a profit?” BEML is a prized asset of the country and all of us need to save it from entering private hands, they said.

Privatisation will largely affect the future of the employees, they maintained.

BEML specialises in the manufacture of mining and construction equipment, rail and metro coaches. It is also engaged in supplying ground support system to defence such as trucks, towing tractors, recovery vehicles, bridge systems, and more, a note said here.