New rules make Kannada must for civic workers’ recruitment, draws flak

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has issued a notification on the recruitment of civic workers (pourakarmikas) in order to regularise the services of 11,133 contract civic workers on September 26, after making a few tweaks to the process. This has now angered civic workers who are questioning the rationale behind it.

Contract civic workers have been pleading with the government to regularise their service. In July, they went on an indefinite strike, leading to a garbage crisis in the city. Later, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai assured them of addressing their demands and issued instructions to the city administration.

Acccordingly, a 10-member selection committee was formed to oversee the recruitment process. The BBMP invited objections and suggestions from the public to the new rules within seven days of publication.

Now, as per the revised rules, only those with knowledge of Kannada are eligible for recruitment.  This has angered the civic workers who are now demanding to know how such a clause was introduced.

BBMP civic workers staged protest a few months ago demanding regularisation of their service

The contract-based civic workers are protesting against the notification, asking, “Why is this rule only applicable to us? Why not other officials? There is no such rule for officers in public service in the state. More than 50 per cent of IAS and IPS officers in the state are North Indian. They don’t even understand Kannada”, they pointed out.

“There is no specific rule that every government employees should know Kannada. Why do we have so many rules for civil workers. but not for higher authorities?” they questioned.