Kannada Dept. Employees plan indefinite strike

By K. N. Venkatasubba Rao

BANGALORE, JAN. 6. The employees of the Department of Kannada and Culture have decided to launch an indefinite strike from the third week of January demanding a permanent solution to the long- pending problem of deputation. The issue has had a demoralising influence on day-to-day administration for the last five years. The Government, meanwhile, has reportedly circulated an unofficial note to all departments asking them to furnish details of officers on long-term deputation. Following news reports published in these columns on alleged irregularities and related administrative lapses in awarding the contract for producing a documentary film, the Government transferred the Director, Mr. Devaraj, and appointed a senior IAS officer in his place.

Sensing the delicate situation, the Government has circulated the unofficial note. However, the employees assert that they have no patience left as the situation is grave and the administration of the department is on the verge of collapse. Besides, they also want regularisation of all daily-wagers working in department and cadre- balancing in the administration.

The employees have presented a memorandum to the authorities concerned, including the Chief Minister and the Minister of State for Kannada and Culture, highlighting the issues which have to be settled in the larger interest of the Government. But ``vested interests'' in the Kannada and Culture Department Secretariat and in the Minister's office have allegedly sat over on the memorandum and the files concerned.

Efforts by the employees to meet the Minister, Ms. Rani Satish, have gone in vain as these ``vested interests'' have drawn an ``iron curtain'' between the Minister and the employees. They are apparently afraid that a cordial meeting between the Minister and the employees is likely to bring various irregularities and administrative lapses to light. Finding no way out, the employees have decided to launch an indefinite strike till important issues are sorted out, sources said.

Regarding deputation, the Government issued an instruction to all its departments on March, 22, 1995 (DCA 3/ARB/1995) asking them to strictly adhere to the norms stipulated in the relevant rule. It had also warned that disciplinary measures would be initiated against those who failed to comply with the instructions.

The employees of the Kannada and Culture Department have been fighting against deputation and absorption since 1996.

They even observed an ``office boycott'' for six days in August 1998 protesting against the move to absorb two officials who were working with the department on deputation. The absorption, employees explain, was in violation of norms specified in the Cadre and Recruitment Rules and was done on the day elections were announced to the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assembly. The employees had also submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission stating that the Government's decision to absorb the officials was in violation of the model code of conduct.

The employees, who are also planning to form a Federation of Employees of the Department of Kannada and Culture, explain that they have just three major demands in the interest of administration and natural justice.

``All the demands are inter-related. Repatriation of all the officials who have been absorbed or functioning in different capacities is our basic demand on which we are not ready to compromise,'' they point out.

Tracing the history of ``indiscreet creation of the third post of Joint Director'' at the Directorate of Kannada and Culture, they charged that ``the third post has been created with an intention to help and ensure the story of a particular officer in the directorate.''

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Section  : Regional
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